Public Project
The Lake Unplugged
Forggensee is a lake located in the Ostallgaue district of Bavaria, spreading out below the famous Alpine fairytale castles of Hohenschwangau and "Sleeping Beauty" Neuschwanstein, built by "Mad" King Ludwig II. It is a man-made lake, created in 1954 and in summer is a Mecca for sailing, swimming, fishing and pleasure cruising. One of the most fascinating aspects of Forggensee is that it actually only exists between June and October each year. This lake can literally be 'unplugged' so as to prevent flooding as the Alpine snow melts and rivers surge, and for the rest of the year is the bizarre, desert-like shell that this series explores. Water-honed channels and ripples still scar the sands, and paths, piers and boardwalks seem to lead ever onwards to nothing. The other-worldly surrealism of the landscape is amplified by the surrounding lush green of Bavarian forests, story-book villages and the majestic, jagged, snow-capped Alps.
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