Herkules von Gelsenkirchen, Monumental sculpture in Nordsternpark, Germany
The Herkules von Gelsenkirchen is a monumental aluminum sculpture mounted on a former mining tower in Nordsternpark. The figure features blue hair, a red mouth, and one arm holding a club, with the entire structure assembled from hundreds of cast metal components.
The sculpture was installed in 2010 as part of the RUHR.2010 project, marking the cultural reorientation of the formerly industrial Ruhr region. The work emerged during a period when the area was redefining its identity and cultural institutions replaced the old mining sector.
The name references Hercules from ancient mythology, a figure embodying the triumph over obstacles. In the regional context, the work stands for the Ruhr area's capacity to reinvent itself and move beyond its industrial past.
An elevator provides access to an observation platform near the sculpture, offering views of both the artwork and the park below. The platform sits at considerable height, so visitors with fear of heights should consider this before ascending.
Artist Markus Lüpertz deliberately chose unconventional colors such as bright blue and red for a mythological figure, setting the work apart from classic Hercules imagery. These modern hues give the sculpture a contemporary character and make it visible from far away across the park landscape.
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