Stati inu obstati stands in the courtyard of the Protestant church on Trubarjeva Street in Maribor. Designed by architect Uroš Rošker, it is the tenth art bench in the Stories of Benches and People project. Rošker had redesigned the church interior ten years earlier. The bench was unveiled on 15 June 2017 to mark 500 years since the Reformation.
The work is a single concrete structure weighing ten tonnes, composed of equilateral triangular forms at different heights. Two plaques carry the words “Stati inu obstati” by Primož Trubar and a statement attributed to Martin Luther about planting an apple tree even if the world were ending. An apple tree stands beside the bench in reference to the message.
Its design links the history of Protestantism, the Slovenian written word and contemporary architecture. The varying triangular surfaces offer places to sit while forming a sculptural feature beside the church. The bench belongs to Maribor's series of art benches that connect shared spaces with local history.
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2000 Maribor