Agnes Denes’ Sunflower Fields Continue Their Journey in Hamburg Following Their Realization at Autostrada Biennale

Following its realization in Prizren, the artistic project Sunflower Fields by internationally renowned artist Agnes Denes continues its journey in Hamburg, where it has been planted for the second consecutive year as part of the program From Cosmos to Commons, curated by Joanna Warsza, Hamburg’s City Curator.

Originally commissioned and realized in Prizren during the 3rd and 4th editions of Autostrada Biennale (2021–2023), curated by Joanna Warsza and Övül Ö. Durmuşoğlu, Sunflower Fields became a living work of public art developed in collaboration with environmental activists, students, children, and members of the local community. Over three consecutive years, the project transformed spaces across Prizren into sites of ecological reflection, civic participation, and collective care.

For Autostrada Biennale, it is both a pleasure and a particular honor to see this important project continue its journey beyond the borders of Kosovo and take root in Hamburg. This continuation demonstrates how artistic ideas grounded in community engagement and ecological responsibility have the potential to transcend geographical boundaries, creating new spaces for dialogue and collaboration in diverse contexts.

“For us, as Co-Founders and Directors of Autostrada Biennale, it is incredibly inspiring to see Sunflower Fields continue its life in Hamburg,” state founders Leutrim Fishekqiu, Vatra Abrashi, and Barış Karamuço. “This project reminds us that when art is nurtured and cultivated with care, it can travel, grow, and connect communities across borders. We are honored that a work first realized in Prizren continues to inspire new forms of collective engagement and ecological imagination.”

Over the decades, Agnes Denes has demonstrated that art can serve as a living act of responsibility toward society and the environment. Through Sunflower Fields, she invites us to imagine alternative futures rooted in regeneration, coexistence, and care—values that remain at the heart of Autostrada Biennale’s mission.

At the opening of the project at Hammaburg-Platz, Mizbah Mustafa, Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo in Hamburg, emphasized the importance of cultural cooperation between Kosovo and Germany:

“I am very pleased that the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Hamburg, together with the City Curator Joanna Warsza and Autostrada Biennale, have collaborated to bring Sunflower Fields here. To me, this project demonstrates above all the connection and closeness between people, as well as the power of culture to build bridges of communication, understanding, and cooperation between cities and communities.”

The Sunflower Fields project in Hamburg is part of the five-year exhibition cycle From Cosmos to Commons (2025–2029), which each year is dedicated to one of the fundamental elements of life—Cosmos, Fire, Air, Earth, and Water—reflecting on the relationship between humanity, the environment, and public space.

Autostrada Biennale extends its warmest congratulations to Joanna Warsza, the City Curator Hamburg team, and all partners involved in realizing this important public-space project. At the same time, we express our sincere gratitude to Mizbah Mustafa, Consul General of the Republic of Kosovo in Hamburg, for his support and commitment to strengthening cultural ties between Kosovo and Hamburg.

Project Partners in Hamburg

The project is realized in collaboration with the Hamburg Ministry for Urban Development and Housing (BSW), the Ministry for Environment, Climate, Energy and Agriculture (BUKEA), the Hamburg Ministry of Culture and Media (BKM), St. Petri Parish, BürgerStiftung Hamburg, Claussen-Simon Foundation, the Consulate General of the Republic of Kosovo in Hamburg, Autostrada Biennale, and the residents of the Hammaburg-Platz area.

Sunflower Fields by Agnes Denes can be visited at Hammaburg-Platz from 21 June to 21 September 2026.

Photo Credits
Photos 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13: Daria Kulnina

Additional photos: City Curator Hamburg