Duisburg, Germany - An art installation comprising 450 orange deckchairs was set up Friday on a German highway junction by two artists who said they began their art happening by asking hundreds of Germans where they would like to relax.

The answers, such as "the disco," "the garden" and "Mallorca" were stencilled in white paint on the chairs.

Highway authorities said they were not concerned that the art would distract motorists. On the contrary.

"A bit of a jolt is a good thing. A lot of locals drive through this junction practically in a trance, so a bit of colour is a great way to make them more alert," said highway maintenance chief Michael Gebert in the nearby city of Bochum.

Artists Felix Luedicke and Korbinian Lechner weighed down the chairs with pegs and slabs of wood to make sure they did not blow onto the A3 and A40 autobahns, which meet at the Kaiserberg junction near Duisburg.

"It's to make people think about where they are going next or where they like to be," explained Luedicke, 30.

The installation till June 1 is a test run for the Ruhr metropolitan region's term in 2010 as European Capital of Culture. Duisburg is one of the 53 cities making up the urban sprawl. (dpa)