Action for eviction

Investor evicts Flatz from Munich heaven

Nobody knows what will happen to the "Heaven 7" sculpture garden in Kistlerhofstrasse.

(Bild: Flatz)

Action artist Wolfgang Flatz recently received an eviction notice. He has been ordered to give up his Munich studio and roof garden "Heaven 7" and vacate the building by November 14. 

The Dornbirn-born artist, who has lived in Munich for decades, had actually agreed with the previous owner that he would be allowed to use the three floors and roof terrace in Kistlerhofstrasse for life. Wolfgang Flatz has lived and worked in the gaudy, yellow and blue painted house at number 70 since 2012. In addition to art storage that extends over three floors, there is a 3,200 square meter roof garden with numerous sculptures - including a giant pink bulldog, a helicopter and an old Cadillac. Over the years, the sculpture garden has established itself as an excursion destination for art lovers and can be visited every Monday by appointment.

It's red alert. I have to get out. My nine assistants are losing their jobs with me.

Wolfgang Flatz

But that will probably soon be over, because everything turned out differently than agreed. The property in Obersendling was sold to the Empira Group. The major Russian investor based in Zug, Switzerland, seems to have little interest in art and the huge sculpture garden on the roof terrace of the property. Three new buildings including an underground parking garage are to be built on the site, and an application to this effect has already been submitted to the Munich building authorities.

Rental agreement terminated
The Empira Group terminated the performance artist's existing commercial lease a year ago. Now, the new owners have put pressure on the eviction from the paradise by means of an eviction suit. Wolfgang Flatz must vacate the premises by November 14. "It's red alert. I have to get out. My nine assistants will lose their jobs with me," Flatz told the Münchner Abendzeitung newspaper.

Particularly bitter for Flatz: the performance artist has been evicted before. In the 1990s, he lived and worked on Munich's Praterinsel. When the landlord died, the new owner gave him notice and he had to vacate the island after a lengthy legal dispute. Now he is threatened with being thrown out of Munich heaven.