Väggmålning på vift : En undersökning av hur platsen påverkar vår upplevelse av konst, med fokus på verken Aufbau der Republik och Väggmålning, Berlin

This thesis examines how the public artworks Aufbau der Republik (1953) in Berlin and Väggmålning, Berlin (2015) in Uppsala – which share a nearly identical motif – are perceived differently depending on their execution, placement, and surrounding context. It also explores how the Berlin mural was reinterpreted in Uppsala as part of the art project Souvenir, which includes Väggmålning, Berlin. The main material consists of the two artworks and their respective sites, studied on location. The thesis begins with an iconological analysis of Aufbau der Republik using Erwin Panofsky’s method, followed by a site analysis informed by Yi-Fu Tuan’s ideas of place and Wolfgang Kemp’s reception aesthetics, particularly through Linda Sjöholm Skrubbe’s reinterpretation. To better understand the Uppsala mural, the artist behind Väggmålning, Berlin Erik Krikortz was interviewed. The study concludes that both site and installation significantly shape the viewer’s experience. While limited information about Souvenir has been found, the thesis provides new insights into the making of Väggmålning, Berlin and its relocation to Uppsala.