David

From art to kitsch and back again: that is the changing history of Hans-Peter Feldmann’s version of Michelangelo’s David. As one of the most famous sculptures of the Italian Renaissance, countless replicas of it can be found in living rooms and gardens around the world in all different sizes and made out of every conceivable material. In this work, the Düsseldorf artist returned it to its original form, but gave it pink skin, yellow hair, and piercing blue eyes. In addition to the colors, the somewhat coarse execution and the material indicate that this is not actually meant as a replica of the original, but instead seeks to represent something more like a modern souvenir.
Although Andy Warhol’s Mona Lisa and Last Supper series provide prominent examples of this practice of recontextualizing famous artworks within modern pop culture, Hans-Peter Feldmann pushes it boldly and brazenly to the limit. He winks at us as he gives his version of David back to the general public, while simultaneously reviving the question of an “art for everyone” in the public space.
In 2006, the David was first installed at Heinrich-Böll-Platz in Cologne. After a stopover in Düsseldorf and an exhibition in Hamburg, it has been among the exhibits at Kant Park in Duisburg since 2010.

Further reading:
Public Art Ruhr. Die Metropole Ruhr und die Kunst im öffentlichen Raum. Eds. Walter Smerling and Ferdinand Ulrich on behalf of the RuhrKunstMuseen, Cologne 2012, ISBN 978-3-8632-134-0, pp. 40–41.