Markus Daum's “Singener Kapitell” (2010) is an imposing, 8.70-meter-high sculpture that enriches the public space in front of Singen's municipal hall. The two-part work, made of concrete and cast iron, weighs around 24 tons and stands on the garden side of the municipal hall on the staircase terrace. The artwork was donated by Sparkasse Singen-Radolfzell to mark the 125th anniversary of the bank's founding.
The expressive sculpture, organically carved from the material, depicts a human head that opens or closes depending on the perspective and symbolizes human existence. The design, which is directly connected to the cubically constructed municipal hall and the historic city garden, showcases the urban space in a unique way. The sculpture illustrates that figurative sculpture in contemporary art is a powerful means of designing public space and can raise existential questions.
Markus Daum, who works in Berlin and Radolfzell-Böhringen, is one of Germany's most renowned sculptors. His works can be found in museums and public spaces in Germany and abroad, including the Reichstag building in Berlin and the Richard Drautz Foundation in Heilbronn. The “Singener Kapitell” continues the tradition of figurative sculpture and combines it with contemporary urban design – a work of art that invites visitors to discover, marvel, and reflect.
