Once, Litfaß columns were an indispensable advertising medium in public spaces. Since digital displays now convey advertising messages more efficiently, the poster columns invented by the Berlin printer Ernst Litfaß in the mid-19th century have had to retreat in many places. Cologne preserves the memory of the Litfaß columns in the form of "art columns," which have been showcased by various contemporary artists since 2019.
Following works by Boris Becker, Ruth Weigand, and the Ukrainian artist Slinko, abandoned and left-behind toys are now the focus of the poster columns in the work of Lisa Mayer and Emil Adam. The duo explains: " Our photographed toy carpet exclusively shows figures that were collected in the Cologne area and brought together by us. This collection of objects consists of finds from various flea markets, boxes set out for giving away on the street, bulky waste, or materials sought through classifieds."
