Marsyas I

Marsyas I is a bronze sculpture by Alfred Hrdlicka at Stauffenberg Platz in Stuttgart Mitte. The sculpture belongs to the city of Stuttgart. Hrdlicka developed the work between 1955 and 1962, drawing on Marsyas from Greek mythology. Marsyas appears in Greek mythology as a satyr. The mythic figure challenged Apollo to a musical contest, and the punishment shapes the sculpture’s difficult subject. The work explores human suffering and rebellion. Hrdlicka originally worked from a marble sculpture by Alfred Zöttl, later having the piece cast in bronze. The bronze casting dates from the year 1962. The record notes significant damage in November 2010 and an outstanding need for restoration. Visitors find wheelchair access listed for this Stuttgart art spot. Its approximate two-and-a-half-metre height gives the bronze a strong presence at Stauffenberg Platz. The bronze belongs to Hrdlicka’s wider sculpture practice. Hrdlicka, an Austrian sculptor, uses confronting forms to address violence and suffering in his wider work. His art confronts difficult sides of human nature.