Monument to the Five Senses 1991

This towering sculpture by Lubo Kristek uses metal to probe the contours of perception, somewhere in Landsberg am Lech. It’s easy to imagine Kristek welding each form, building up the artwork, piece by piece, perhaps tweaking, adjusting, until that eye, that ear, and that hand, found their place. Looking at the sculpture, I feel a sense of curiosity about what Kristek was trying to say about how we experience the world through our senses. The artwork invites you to see how they're all connected. I see echoes of Surrealism, with its fascination for the subconscious mind, and a playfulness that brings to mind artists such as Joan Miró or Alexander Calder. The hand rising up, as if to grasp at something just out of reach, reminds me of the universal desire to understand and engage with the world around us. Ultimately, Kristek’s sculpture is a reminder that art is an ongoing exploration, one that invites us to question, to feel, and to connect with one another.