tatzu nishi sites villa victoria on the roof of basel's cathedral

since the late 1990s, japanese artist tatzu nishi has been creating out-of-scale and out-of-place encounters in public spaces around the world. he has transformed street lights, parked cars and monuments, building new spaces around them and altering their setting. mostly choosing renowned landmarks of various cities, tatzu nishi creates a new room for these iconic sculptures, making them accessible to visitors.

‘engel’ | exterior view of the artwork at the cathedral of basel, switzerland
image © serge hasenböhler (also main image)

previously, with his ‘the merlion hotel‘, tatzu nishi has transformed singapore’s national monument, the merlion, into a luxurious hotel room, built around this beloved iconic landmark. now, at the cathedral of basel, nishi constructed a room around the angelic sculpture situated on the rooftop — not suitable for visitors that are afraid of heights. some of the artist’s other work is shown below.

‘engel’ | exterior view of the artwork at the cathedral of basel, switzerland
image © serge hasenböhler

‘engel’ | interior view of the artwork
image © serge hasenböhler

‘engel’ | interior view of the artwork
image © serge hasenböhler

‘engel’ | photography of the sculpture before the project
image © serge hasenböhler

tatzu nishi presenting ‘engel’ at the singapore art biennale 2011
image © designboom

‘villa victoria’ – liverpool, UK (2002)
the monument of queen victoria before the project
image © tatsurou bashi

‘villa victoria’ | exterior view of the artwork
image © nick hunt

‘villa victoria’ | interior view of the artwork
image © alistair overbruck

‘villa victoria’ | interior view
image © alistair overbruck

‘villa victoria’ | hotel reception – interior view
image © alistair overbruck

tatzu nishi
image © designboom

tatzu nishi discussing the ‘villa victoria’ project
image © designboom

‘untitled’ – hamburg (2009)
image © tatzu nishi

‘untitled’ | exterior view of the artwork
image © carsten gliese

‘untitled’ | interior view of the artwork
image © carsten gliese

‘untitled’ | interior view
image © carsten gliese

‘heroe’ – guatemala city (2010) | exterior view of the artwork
image © tatzu nishi

‘heroe’ – guatemala city (2010) | interior view of the artwork
image © tatzu nishi

‘reihe’ – denken sie sich einmal an meine stelle – berlin (2002)
(left): image © tatsurou bashi
(right): image © carsten gliese

‘reihe’ – denken sie sich einmal an meine stelle
image © carsten gliese