Sphère trames (Spherical Framework)

Francois Morellet began working with the idea of the Sphères Trames in 1962 and has since realized it in numerous sizes and contexts (see, e.g., the sculpture in Bielefeld). This spherical stainless steel sculpture was installed in Wuppertal in 1978 in front of the newly constructed Gewerbliche Schule II in Barmen.

Morellet described his spherical sculpture as a contrasting counterpoint to the 1970s school building. In the letter that accompanied it for the 1977 competition, he also wrote: “The open grid structure appears to change with the viewer’s movement in front of the sculpture; being that most viewers are passersby, this state of change is almost inevitable. An infinite number of constellations emerge, which can no longer be considered in detail because of the variety of overlapping elements. At the same time, the visual appeal of the movement is easily understood by the viewer.”

(Attachment C/1 to Hochbauamt (Building Authority) document 241/77, dated 11/22/1977; cited from Ruth Meyer- Kahrweg, Denkmäler, Brunnen und Plastiken in Wuppertal, 1991, p. 455)