Munich Watchmen, in partnership with the Gasteig in Germany, was staged during the Covid-19 health crisis. Created by choreographer Joanne Leighton, The Munich Watchmen takes place on the roof of the Gasteig, twice a day, every day, for 365 consecutive days. In the image of the “Türmer”, German for medieval watchmen, the 730 participants will watch over their city for one hour, above the spectacular philharmonic hall.

How does it work ? After registering on the website and taking part in a preparatory workshop, the watchman climbs onto the roof of the Philharmonic Hall and watches over his or her city for an hour at sunrise or sunset from the sheltered object, designed by Benjamin Tovo. After the watch, the participant leaves a trace, a souvenir of his watch, in the form of a photo of himself and a text with his impressions and thoughts, in an online journal.

Extracts from Traces

“An hour of watching, watching the city ! What to see ?
People, animals, nature ?
I was intrigued and wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep watching.
Watching : is it giving ? Or is it to take ? Attention !?
Rationally, it’s useless. I’m passive and can’t act or interfere.
The trees, the birds, the passers-by, nothing and nobody sees me.
My presence is like that of an ant - just there !
And yet this hour of immobility at the window has brought me a certain joy that I feel as I write these lines. The satisfaction of simply being, of existing ! And also of having participated in this work.
A little nothing, but also a whole hour of my life... an hour when, like the grains of sand in the hourglass, it’s precious because it’s unique.”
– Axelle Hauck, January 6, 2021, 15h35