Ilona Maria Amann, lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture at OTH Regensburg, has woven grave wreath ribbons into a dress in a work of art. Additional first names are sewn on in various languages from regions affected by war. In this way, the artwork brings an image of death and dying from our cemeteries into focus. But the ribbons also speak to a very personal level: peace begins here, locally – with ourselves and our neighbours.
University chaplain Dr Martin Seiberl from the Catholic University Community in Regensburg is delighted to have Ilona Maria Amann on board for the current project in the university chapel. ‘The artwork immediately catches the eye when you enter the chapel and invites you to engage with it,’ says Dr Seiberl. Ms Amann's artwork offers points of reference to major fundamental anthropological experiences such as war and peace or death and life. ‘But it is also reminiscent of a christening gown and, especially in the context of a Christian chapel, subtly connects the fate of transience with the hope of resurrection,’ says the university chaplain.
‘We are warmed by love’
The artist herself links her work to a quote from Anselm Grün: ‘We are warmed by a love that is stronger than the coldness of this time.’ Even if we cannot directly change anything in the world, says Ilona Maria Amann, personal inner peace is the key to peace in the world.
As part of the liturgical art project Da-Sein (Being) organised by the Diocese of Regensburg, artists from the region are providing works that address existential themes of being. The artwork pomegranate_peace_4 will be on display in the university chapel until 23 December 2025. During the 2025/26 winter semester, midday prayers will be held in the university chapel every Wednesday at 12:15 p.m. and Holy Mass will be celebrated at 6:00 p.m. All interested members of the Regensburg university community are cordially invited to attend. The university chapel is located in the central library building.
More information is available here.
