GEREON LEPPER

DER SELTENE GAST [The rare guest]

2003
H 8.0 m / W 8.0 m / D 1.2 m
Würth Collection, Künzelsau und s'Hertogenbosch (Niederlande)

The sculpture 'The rare guest' is a balancing system which reacts both to wind forces and to gravitation. It consists of two identical wings shaped from edged metal plates which are bolted to solid steel sections. These in turn are by means of transverse axles mounted in ball-bearings integrated moveably into a steel structure connecting them in such a way that both wings protrude symmetrically outwards. At the side of the steel sections protruding inwards, cylindrical counter-weights are fastened which balance the wings sloped slightly downwards in windless weather. Air currents acting on them disturb this balance. The movements of the two wings acting independently of each other then arising are similar, but never quite synchronous. In that way the sculpture makes the impression of a gigantic bird which, when gliding, instinctively co-ordinates the movements of its wings.