Neun Musen, Bettina Eichin, 1978 – 1992

Nine life-size bronze statues, the "Nine Muses" by Bettina Eichin, rest in the foyer of the Collegiate Building III at the University of Freiburg. Unlike classical representations, they appear neither light nor dancing: clad in heavy robes, they sit or lie down and radiate a quiet dignity. Rather as devotion than inspiration, they show physical and emotional exhaustion. Eichin wanted to express the effort and reflection on history, responsibility and memory.

The figures had an eventful journey - from winning the competition in 1978 to their final installation in 1996, with protests, exhibitions at the Landesgartenschau and loans to universities in Bern, Berlin and Basel in between. Today, they form a thought-provoking ensemble in a public space that invites visitors to linger, reflect and remember.