THE NIBELUNGEN BRIDGE IN LINZ 2013

Gazmend Freitag painted this modern oil painting of the Nibelungen Bridge in Linz. The bridge here represents a connection, a symbolic span between different realms or states of being. This motif appears across cultures, from the Bifrost in Norse mythology, linking Midgard and Asgard, to the Pontifex Maximus, the bridge-builder, in ancient Rome, symbolizing the connection between the earthly and the divine. In a Freudian sense, bridges represent the overcoming of obstacles or a transition from one psychological state to another. Think of them as repressed desires finally finding an outlet. Bridges are, though, not static. Over time, the symbol of the bridge has evolved from a sacred connection to a functional piece of architecture to perhaps a mere crossing. The emotional weight, however, is there in our collective memory, subconsciously engaging viewers to this day. Like the cyclical nature of cultural memory, the bridge motif resurfaces and evolves, carrying different emotional and psychological weights across time.