Hammering Man, Steel sculpture at Messeturm, Frankfurt, Germany
Hammering Man is a steel sculpture in Frankfurt standing about 21 meters tall with a mechanical arm that moves up and down steadily throughout the day. The structure shows a human torso in a working position near the Messeturm building.
Jonathan Borofsky created the first Hammering Man in 1979 for an installation at the Paula Cooper Gallery: a 3.4-metre figure in black-lacquered plywood, already with a motorised arm. The Frankfurt version, about 21 metres tall and weighing 32 tonnes, was commissioned for the new Messeturm and has stood in front of the exhibition tower since 1991. Its number on the rear leg is 3307624.
The figure represents working people everywhere and shows how thinking and physical work go together through its constant movement. It reflects the importance of human effort in making things.
The artwork stands near the Frankfurt Trade Fair grounds and is easy to reach with good viewing angles from all sides of the plaza. The area is well lit and the movements can be seen from early morning until evening.
Each version carries a different number on the back of its leg: Frankfurt's is 3307624, Seattle's 3277164, Basel's 3092778. The Frankfurt figure weighs 32 tonnes and stands about 21 metres tall. Borofsky's first Hammering Man, a 3.4-metre painted plywood model with a motorised arm, was shown in 1979 at the Paula Cooper Gallery.
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