Metrical (Romanesque) Construction in 5 Masses and 2 Scales VIII

In 1968, David Rabinowitch began producing his massive sheet metal works directly on the ground. His Metrical (Romanesque) Constructions emerged from his engagement with architecture, especially the Romanesque churches that he encountered during his travels in the early 1970s. He was particularly interested in how the elements functioned as individual parts of a greater whole.
The sculpture located on the grounds at Haus Weitmar is part of a larger series dealing with the relationship of a whole to its parts. The steel plates rest directly on the ground and are the same thickness, but different sizes. These steel forms include three rectangular shapes, as well as a triangular, and a more complex geometric shape. The patterns of holes on the plates are similar, but not identical.
In this way, the artist emphasizes both — the individuality of each element and their overall connectedness. In his sculptures, Rabinowitch explores the relationships between layout, volume, and dimensions in order to fundamentally explore the “construction of seeing.” In the process of circling and contemplating the sculpture, viewers should gain an understanding of the principles of perception.

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. 142–143.