Have you ever stopped to consider the story behind everyday objects elevated to art? Here, we find the Röhrenensemble Sculpture. It is a testament to Hamburg’s vibrant art scene.
The Röhrenensemble Sculpture might not tell tales of ancient battles or royal dynasties. However, it speaks volumes about modern artistic expression. The artist Stephan Balkenhol created several art installations throughout Hamburg.
Since 1993, Hamburg’s waterscapes have been defined by the wooden figures carved by Stephan Balkenhol. His oak sculptures are mounted on shallow water barrels at four different locations in the Hanseatic city. These average looking fellows in their black trousers and white shirts inevitably attract the attention of passers-by. Every autumn, after about seven months on the water when the buoy-men start to look a bit pale, the artist takes them back to their winter quarters in the Stackmeisterei on the Finkenwerder river island for a little upkeep.
The Vier Männer auf Bojen or ‘four men on buoys’ were each carved from an oak trunk. The figure and the base are a single piece of wood. Including the bases, each is 2.40 metres high and weighs nine tons. They are mounted on wobbly buoys chained to stone anchors beneath the waves. This leaves them bobbing atop the water. They seem unconcerned with the goings-on around them. This impression is strengthened by their expressions. Their expressions are stoically calm. Their total lack of pose and gesture gives the statues a serene peculiarity. This somewhat blank appearance was deliberate on the part of the artist.
Balkenhol intended for the figures to be contradictory. They are bobbing uncontrollably on the one hand. They are appearing completely unconcerned on the other. Thus, the figures remain deliberately distant, anonymous and enigmatic. According to Balkonhol himself, his ‘sculptures do not tell stories. There is something secretive hidden in them. It’s not my job to reveal it, but the viewer’s to discover it.’
You can see the four buoy-men at aquatic locations throughout the city from March to October: In Elbe near Övelgönne in Altona. In the Serrahn in Bergedorf. In the Outer Alster Lake. In the south Elbe near Harburg. Additionally, many others of Balkenhol’s statues can be seen year round throughout Hamburg. These places include in front of Hamburg’s large public library in the city centre and in front of the Hagenbeck Zoo.
The Röhrenensemble Sculpture invites us to ponder the beauty in the unexpected. It encourages us to find meaning in the mundane. It is more than just pipes arranged in an artistic manner. It mirrors Hamburg itself. Hamburg is a city of contrasts. It blends history with a forward-thinking spirit. Just like the Röhrenensemble Sculpture, Hamburg encourages us to look closer. It inspires us to discover the art that surrounds us every day.