Oben der legendäre Tempel von Uppsala (nach der Beschreibung der Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum des Adam von Bremen_), mittig die Fassade eines Renaissancebaus (in Verona_), unten das Mosaik im südlichen Obergaden von Sant'Apollinare Nuovo ... 

Editor: This is a rather intricate drawing by Karl Ballenberger titled "Oben der legendäre Tempel von Uppsala…". It looks like a series of architectural sketches in graphite and ink on paper. It feels almost dreamlike to me, seeing these historical buildings layered like that. What strikes you most about this piece? Curator: Ah, yes, Karl Ballenberger! A delightful puzzle-maker in visual form. For me, it's the juxtaposition – the almost reckless disregard for conventional perspective or realistic scale. It feels like a memory palace, where fragments of grandeur rub shoulders across time and geography. Doesn’t it remind you a little of Piranesi's etchings, that romantic ruin aesthetic? Do you get a sense of that? Editor: I do see that now, but Ballenberger does have something else... it feels more personal. Curator: Exactly! It's more than just documentation, it is that, of course, it is a series of depictions. He is gathering impressions of places into his consciousness; there’s something almost meditative about this, like he’s building these structures again within his own mind, piece by piece. Maybe he's asking us to reflect on how places shape who we are. And notice the stark lines and sparse shading, doesn’t this contribute to the haunting mood? Editor: It certainly does. I originally saw the piece as disparate sketches of old structures but considering that it might be a memory palace shifts its significance quite dramatically. It's not just about architecture, is it? Curator: Precisely! I find myself thinking that it makes you consider what *you* hold on to. A really moving construction! Editor: I never thought of architecture that way before. It definitely encourages one to meditate. Thank you for showing me a new side to appreciate in Karl Ballenberger's work.