Closing Event of GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN 2025

On Saturday, September 13th 2025, “Monument, Culture & Co” also marked the conclusion of the GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN exhibition. The historic buildings surrounding the Ollershof were open to visitors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The lead type from the Soltau Printing Museum was ready and waiting right on time. There were bookmarks and coloring cards for the little ones again. Of course, the well-known glass printing stations were also a must. Using the heavy, over 100-year-old machine, personal first names were printed in beautiful lead type on glass coasters.

The hobby beekeepers opened their exhibition in the old staircase granary and explained how honey is produced and harvested. The watermill was also open and in operation. There, the hobby miller demonstrated how water power is used to grind grain into flour. Refreshments were provided in the form of savory and sweet dishes, coffee, and cold drinks.

Just before the Pee Dee River Band was set to begin their musical performance at 3 p.m., we were caught in a heavy rain shower, and many visitors sought shelter. After a few minutes, the inclement weather had already cleared up, and Pee Dee River was able to get started. Ali Lüdtke and Gerd Röders have been playing together for many years in the Soltau-based blues band Pee Dee River. But at their recent performance in Munster, they presented not only their own songs but also their own interpretations of their “favorite pieces,” ranging from the Beatles to Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. The musicians, however, interpreted the songs in their own bluesy style. Lüdtke accompanied Röders with soulful solos. The duo is particularly pleased to have Jürgen Pfitzinger, a well-known percussionist from Soltau, on board. Pfitzinger and Röders shared the stage as early as 1983 at a festival in Bremen, and Pfitzinger can also be heard on Pee Dee River’s latest album.
The closing ceremony for GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN 2025 began at 4:00 p.m. Mayor Ulf-Marcus Grube thanked everyone involved in the exhibition. These include, above all, the sponsors, the property owners, the City of Munster staff members involved under the leadership of the exhibition’s organizer and director Andrea Holz, all volunteer supervisors, as well as all helpers and supporters of the exhibition, and all other individuals, institutions, and companies that contributed to this exhibition. Without them, this exhibition would not have been possible. Mr. Grube emphasized that he would fight for the continuation of the GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN exhibition. However, the decision ultimately lies with the city’s political bodies.

This was followed by the announcement of the GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN 2025 Audience Award, worth €500. The award went to the outdoor artwork that received the most votes from visitors during the exhibition period.

A total of 796 valid votes were cast.
54 votes went to “Tropfenfänger” by Ariane Forkel.
The artwork “5 Lichtfächer” by Marion Hempel received 61 votes.

With 179 votes, the three-part artwork “Segelschiff 2 Master – Friedensbotschaft I-III” by Gundula Menking won the 2025 Audience Award. Ms. Menking was presented with a certificate.

Accompanied by many more songs by Pee Dee River, the busy dismantling of the art installations followed.

Many proud buyers were already standing in front of the artworks they had purchased and could hardly wait to receive them and take them home. Meanwhile, the gallery was still busy finalizing the last sales contracts. The supervisors were also hard at work overseeing the dismantling and removal of the artworks.

Right up until the last day, visitors took advantage of the glass workshop and the electronic glass sounds. The team from Niesenglass Switzerland worked daily at the mobile glass furnace throughout the entire exhibition. This gave guests the opportunity to look over the glassblowers’ shoulders and experience the working of hot glass up close. Those who preferred to immerse themselves in glass art alone, accompanied by ethereal sounds, could use a mobile device to scan a QR code and enter the sound world of OLIVGRAU. The code was publicly displayed throughout the exhibition grounds.

We look forward to another fantastic exhibition of GLASPLASTIK UND GARTEN in 2028.