S-Printing Horse, Heidelberg, Steel sculpture at Print Media Academy in Heidelberg, Germany.
The S-Printing Horse is a monolithic steel sculpture at the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Academy that rises 13 meters high and extends 15 meters long. The work weighs approximately 90 tons and is made from stainless steel and aluminum, with its tail forming an abstract book that glows in cyan, magenta, and yellow at night.
Sculptor Jürgen Goertz created this monumental work in 2000 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. The installation marked a turning point in how industrial heritage was represented through large-scale contemporary art installations.
The sculpture reflects printing technology through deliberate openings in its neck that mirror the bearing points of printing cylinders. Moving elements along its body connect the artwork to the industrial machines that define the entire composition.
The sculpture is visible from the main station and offers changing views depending on the time of day. It is fully accessible from outside and best appreciated from different angles, with the night illumination of the tail end being especially striking.
The three-legged horse design leaves mechanical hoof prints embedded in the pavement below, recreating fossil patterns from the Swabian Jura region. These imprinted traces subtly connect the contemporary art installation to the geological history of the area.
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