Molecule Man, Aluminum sculpture in Alt-Treptow, Germany
Molecule Man is a sculpture made of aluminum and steel in Alt-Treptow, Germany, where branches of the Spree River meet. The three perforated figures stand 100 feet (30 meters) tall in the water and lean their heads together.
American artist Jonathan Borofsky created the work in 1999 for the water surface where three former districts come together. The installation marked the period shortly after German reunification.
The title refers to the molecular structure the artist imagined inside the human body. The holes in the three silhouettes show this idea of tiny building blocks that make up all living beings.
The sculpture is best viewed from the shore or from the water, especially from the nearby Oberbaum Bridge. Boat tours on the Spree bring visitors close and allow a full view.
The figures stand on piles in the riverbed, so they can sink into the water during heavy flooding. The aluminum material makes them light enough to remain stable even in wind.
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