From the source of the river in Holzwickede to its mouth in the Rhine at Dinslaken, there is a cycling route that guarantees variety both in terms of the route and artistically. Industrial facilities, parks and heaps, much urban scenery and plenty of nature line the path. Not to forget the sculpture trail, which emerged from the temporary exhibition format "Emscherkunst" in 2010. Those who complete the tour encounter numerous site-specific works by renowned artists, including Mark Dion, Bogomir Ecker, Mischa Kuball, and Tobias Rehberger. As the 77th station of the Emscherkunstweg, a ground sculpture by Nicole Wermers has been established.
"Emscher Folly" is the title the London and Emsdetten-based artist gave to her work, which can be found near the Duisburg Alte Emscher wastewater treatment plant. Art fans cycling along the river will encounter familiar equipment here: Wermers has grouped and tangled more than 50 bicycles to form a triangular shape. A mysterious collection: Who do the bikes belong to, one wonders. Why were they parked here? And why has a guiding hand arranged the contraptions in a triangular formation? Nicole Wermers, nominated for the Turner Prize in 2015 and a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich since 2017, leaves such questions open. Her "Emscher Folly" employs a means of transportation to send imagination on a journey.
