L’Allumé / The Illuminated

Made of massive steel beams, Mark di Suvero’s expansive bright red sculpture stands on the banks of the Rhine. It looks out over the river and landscape towards Berlin, which had just become the capital city at the time the sculpture was erected. Influenced by American expressionism and its direct representation of emotions through color and line, di Suvero developed his work by applying these fundamental principles to sculpture and public space.
The steel beams are incorporated as expressive lines and joined at a middle point. Semi-circular segments draw additional attention to this central hub. One of the beams points directly up into the sky. Another is almost parallel to the ground, reminiscent of an arm on an oversized sundial, showing you the way. Highly dynamic, but still firmly planted in position, The Illuminated confidently shares its certainty with the viewer.