The "Hammering Man" at the Messeturm

On every trip to Frankfurt I've always marveled at the giant -somewhat eerie - Hammering Man figure, always in motion, silently at work building - what? Castles in the air?

Neben dem Messeturm in der Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage steht seit 1991die 21 m hohe Silhouette des "Hammering Man". Von 1971 an arbeitete Borofsky wieder figürlich, 1980 entwickelte er seinen Entwurf des "Hammering Man". Dessen Maße hat Borofsky immer wieder variiert. In der Baseler Kunsthalle präsentierte er 1981 die Figur zum erstenmal mit einer Höhe von sieben Metern. 1982 gab es bei der Documenta 7 in Kassel ein Quartett zu sehen. In seiner archetypischen Bildhaftigkeit erinnert der "Hammering Man" an einen überdimensionierten Scherenschnitt. Mit seiner monotonen Armbewegung, mit der er einen Hammer schwingt, ist er ein Sinnbild des arbeitenden Menschen. Als Symbol steht er für das unaufhaltsame Fortschreiten der Zeit. Durch seine beachtliche Größe ist der "Hammering Man" zu einer Landmark von Frankfurt geworden. Am Fuß der Skulptur befindet sich eine Zahlenreihe, denn Borofsky nummeriert seine Kunstwerke.

The sculptor, Jonathan Borofsky, has replicas of the Hammering Man and equally monumental "Walking Man" monuments in major cities around the world.  I always assumed that an artist of this stature would have his studio in New York, London, or Berlin.  So I was surprised to learn from my local newspaper that Borofsky lives and works just a few miles me on the coast of Maine.  Here he keeps a very low profile:

"Jonathan Borofsky isn’t seeking your attention. He doesn’t care if you recognize his name. And he’s not particularly interested in having his photo taken for this newspaper – or any other. Borofsky, a sculptor from Ogunquit, may be the most famous artist from Maine you’ve never heard of, which is as he likes it. “Maine is my protective zone,” he says. “It’s my safety zone.”

In Frankfurt, 20,000 cars a day whiz by his “Hammering Man.” The drivers and passengers in those cars do not know his name and probably don’t care.

Which is fine with him."

 

Comments

[Zyme]

Off-topic but I am sure you will like it as well :-)
(in case you haven't come across this one yet)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwzVk9TPKzQ

[David]

Yes, I did see this. Bernie has a sense of humor!

[sol1]

By the way - start and finish of the Frankfurt Marathon is near the Hammering Man.

And in German language the word for "hitting the wall" is "meeting the man with the hammer":

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_mit_dem_Hammer