Ursprung / Origin

Ulrich Rückriem’s sculpture was installed as part of the redesign of the square in front of the Leopold-Hoesch-Museum. However, residents of Düren were likely already familiar with the artist before that: Between 1988 and 1990, he erected stelae at ten different locations in the city to function as a decentralized memorial. Furthermore, Rückriem completed his apprenticeship as a stonemason in Düren from 1957 to 1959 before going on to study in Cologne. He also had his first exhibition in Düren in 1964, which could be a possible explanation for this work’s title.

The sculpture consists of several blocks of Anröchter dolomite, a material that the artist used to create his earliest sculptures. The blocks are reassembled to match how they fit together in the quarry, but the marks left from processing, including boreholes and cut edges, remain visible. This aligned with the artist’s usual method of working, which allows him to emphasize the natural power and particular material qualities of the stone.