Untitled (Frankfurt Sculpture)

Richard Serra is well known for his monumental works, making this sculpture seem relatively small in comparison; however, characteristic traits of his work are still easily detectable here: To begin with, the artist typically prefers to work with Corten steel, which quickly develops a rusty patina.

Furthermore, his reduced minimalist formal language is highly recognizable. Here, the two elongated rectangular steel blocks are stacked on top of each other with the long edge of the top cuboid resting at the center of the long side of the bottom one. Additionally, the top block is a bit longer than its counterpart.

The structure could be interpreted as a minimalist bench, were it not so seemingly fragile and in danger of tipping over. It is reminiscent of other works by Serra, which also play with the viewer’s fears. It takes a bit of courage to venture into his towering, massive, and often slightly inclined steel plate constructions and engage with them as a spatial experience.