The “Two concrete Cadillacs in the form of the naked Maja” on Rathenauplatz at the western end of Kurfürstendamm were completely weathered recently. In 1987, the artist Wolf Vostell (1932-1998) created the highly controversial sculpture on the occasion of Berlin’s 750th anniversary to symbolize the “drivers’ dance around the golden calf”. Two 6.20 meter long Cadillacs (built in 1978) were concreted in. Now the Vostell family has started a renovation.
The sculpture belongs to Vostell’s heirs and is to be “restored to its original state”. The artist’s son, Rafael Vostell, already had that in the summer of 2022 announced in conversation with the daily mirror. “The environmentally friendly, sustainable renovation of the concrete Cadillacs with biodegradable materials is carried out 100 percent by the Vostell family,” he says now. The work of art had already been cleaned and restored twice, first in 2006 and then again seven years later.
Advertising should now also contribute to the financing. According to a site manager, large posters from a luxury watch manufacturer will be hanging on the scaffolding from May.
The district office of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf has granted advertising approval for three months. This was confirmed when asked by City Councilor Oliver Schruoffeneger (Greens), who is responsible for the environment, roads, traffic and order.
