Kouros

A kouros is a classical form of Greek sculpture that depicts a nude athletic male youth. The tradition of this topos dates back to before 8th century BC and is characterized by strict symmetry and frontality. The statues were commonly portrayed with the left leg stepping forward and the arms hanging down at the sides with the hands in fists. During antiquity, kouroi were erected as monumental statues at tombs. For a long time, it was thought that they were representations of Apollo, but now it’s believed that they represent the Greek ideal of competition winners. Stefan Demary’s Kouros sculpture was installed in front of the Siemens building on Völklinger Straße in 1998. Demary’s work is a recasting of an antique kouros statue from 6th century BC, which was found in two separate parts on Samos in 1980. Accordingly, Demary’s Kouros is also incomplete: on the simple pedestal in front of the building, visitors will only find the statue’s large decapitated body taking a step towards the street. The statue’s head is in the second Siemens building on the other side of Völklinger Straße. In this way, the two buildings are connected from opposite sides of the street by the artwork.
Original German text: Stefanie Ippendorf