“Ever wonder what it feels like to bob serenely on water, seemingly unconcerned?” That’s the essence of the Verbindungsobjekte Sculpture, a series of captivating wooden figures in Hamburg.
Since 1993, these sculptures by artist Stephan Balkenhol have graced Hamburg’s waters. They are mounted on shallow water barrels. You’ll find these average-looking fellows in black trousers and white shirts in four different locations in the Hanseatic city.
Each autumn, the artist retrieves them from the water. This happens after about seven months when the buoy-men start to look a bit pale. They spend their winter in the Stackmeisterei on the Finkenwerder river island. There they undergo some upkeep.
The Vier Männer auf Bojen translates to four men on buoys. Each figure is carved from a single oak trunk. This ensures the figure and base are one piece. Including the bases, each sculpture stands 2.40 meters high and weighs nine tons.
These figures are deliberately contradictory. They bob uncontrollably on the water. Yet, they appear completely unconcerned. Their expressions, if you get close enough to see, are stoically calm. The statues lack any pose or gesture. This gives them a serene peculiarity.
Balkenhol intended for the figures to be distant, anonymous, and enigmatic. As the artist himself said, his sculptures do not tell stories. Instead, there is something secretive hidden within them. He believes it’s not his job to reveal it. The viewer must discover it.
You can spot these buoy-men in various aquatic locations throughout Hamburg from March to October. You might find them in the Elbe near Övelgönne in Altona. Or perhaps in the Serrahn in Bergedorf. They could be in the Outer Alster Lake. Another location is the south Elbe near Harburg.
Balkenhol’s work extends beyond these water-bound figures. Many of his statues can be seen year-round throughout Hamburg. You can find them in front of Hamburg’s large public library and in front of the Hagenbeck Zoo.
So, next time you’re near the water, look out for these serene figures. They are bobbing gently on the waves. They are a reminder to find calm amidst the chaos. They are the enigmatic Verbindungsobjekte Sculpture of Hamburg.