Ten rusted steel plates lie before you. They form the Cortenstahl-Plastik “Full House” installation. This isn’t just a sculpture. It’s a commentary on the very building it stands beside. The Würzburg Civil Justice Centre.
The “Full House” installation was completed in the summer of 2010. It’s located in the open space of the new Justice Centre. A semi-circular lawn about 30 meters in diameter provides its setting. The sculpture’s placement is slightly off-centre. This creates a visual tension with the curve of the Justice Centre’s extension.
Think of a hand of cards fanned out. That’s how the ten elements of “Full House” are arranged. Each plate is slightly different. They shift and turn in relation to each other. This creates a dynamic effect. The whole structure feels almost precarious. Yet it maintains its balance.
The artist Sabine Straub purposefully mirrored the processes within the Justice Centre. The careful examination of facts and files. The balancing of relationships and proportions. This process is comparable to the creative process of determining the equilibrium of the sculpture. In a metaphorical sense. The “cards are laid on the table” for examination. Just like in a court of law.
“Full House” isn’t just about legal proceedings. It’s about the drama of life. The wins and losses. Even the possibility of a rematch. The rusting steel. A reminder of time’s passage. The constant play of forces in our lives. The sculpture’s intriguing geometry. A subtle reflection of the complexities of justice itself. Take a moment. Absorb the rust-colored beauty. Let the thoughtful design provoke your imagination. This isn’t just metal. It’s a story waiting to be interpreted. A visual representation of the ongoing pursuit of balance and resolution. Within both the legal world and the wider world.