"Sphaera" & "Woman in the Rock", Stephan Balkenhol

5th art project Salzburg Walk of Modern Art: Stephan Balkenhol - "Sphaera" (at Kapitelplatz ) and "Woman in the Rock" (Toscaninihof) - 2007.

There are two sculptures by the German artist Stephan Balkenhol in Salzburg: Sphaera, a golden sphere with a male figure on Kapitelplatz, and Frau im Fels, a female figure partially concealed within a rock in the Toscaninihof. Both sculptures play with opposites, such as visibility and concealment, as well as distance and proximity.

Sphaera

The Sphaera sculpture in Kapitelplatz is one of the most well-known works of art in Salzburg's public spaces. A man dressed in everyday clothes stands on a seven-meter-high, gold-colored sphere. The contrast between the monumentally gleaming sphere and the man's simple appearance prompts reflection on the relationship between humans and the world, and between everyday life and staging.

Woman in the Rock

In the Toscaninihof, somewhat hidden in a rock face niche, is the sculpture "Woman in the Rock," a counterpart to Sphaera. The female figure is reserved and almost inconspicuous in her surroundings. She is deliberately difficult to spot — a silent observer of the place. Her position in the shadow of the Mönchsberg lends the sculpture an air of mystery, calling for conscious perception of the space.

The artist, Stephan Balkenhol

Stephan Balkenhol is a German sculptor born in Fritzlar in 1957. He is known for his wooden sculptures of people in contemporary clothing. His works can be found in public spaces in many European cities and encourage reflection on identity, presence, and surroundings.

Walk of Modern Art

The Salzburg Foundation initiated the Walk of Modern Art to make contemporary art accessible to everyone. Created between 2002 and 2019, the works by international artists such as James Turrell, Marina Abramović, Markus Lüpertz, and Brigitte Kowanz explore the intersection of history, urban architecture, and contemporary art.

Practical information:

- The artworks of the Walk of Modern Art Salzburg are freely accessible.
- The duration of the Walk of Modern Art Salzburg is approximately 1.5-2 hours.
- Guided tours