Plafondschilderingen in wachthuisjes op de brug, 1993

The ceiling paintings in the small guardhouses on the Apeldoornseweg Bridge are among the most mysterious and hidden artworks from Sonsbeek that can still be seen in Arnhem. For Sonsbeek ’93, the German artist Christina Assmann created watercolors on the ceilings of the small Oriental-style guardhouses. Behind intricate spiderweb motifs, houses and buildings unfold in various shapes and styles. Others are so striking and imaginative that they definitely sprouted solely from the artist’s imagination. 

The guardhouses themselves are just as fairy-tale-like and imaginative, comparable to “follies”—decorative structures without a clear function. Little is known about Assmann. She was young and relatively unknown when curator Valerie Smithhaar invited her to Arnhem. After Sonsbeek, she largely disappeared from the art world, but her delicate ceiling paintings were preserved. They function as a subtle trompe-l’œil: a small, playful escape for those who discover their secrets. In 2021, after a visit from Assmann, the paintings were carefully restored, preserving their fragile beauty.