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| Jonathan Borofsky's "Hammering Man," a 22-meter-tall installation that stands near Gwanghwamun in central Seoul / Courtesy of Sehwa Art and Culture Foundation |
By Park Han-sol
Just west of central Seoul's bustling Gwanghwamun area, a 22-meter-tall black steel giant striking down a hammer tirelessly in his right hand is enough to grab the attention of any rushing pedestrian.
"Hammering Man," a towering kinetic sculpture that serves as one of the iconic landmarks in the city, celebrates the 20th anniversary of its creation this month.
The sculpture was installed on June 4, 2002, next to the 24-story Heungkuk Life Insurance Building, giving the downtown area a spark of creative energy.
It is part of a series designed by American sculptor Jonathan Borofsky, who is best known for his large-scale, site-specific installations occupying public spaces and museums around the world.
The "Hammering Man" series was first conceived in 1979 when a 3.4-meter-tall wooden model was shown at the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York City. Since then, 2D black steel sculptures depicting an individual pounding a hammer with a motorized arm have appeared around the globe ― including Seattle, Dallas and Los Angeles in the United States, Frankfurt in Germany, Basel in Switzerland and Nagoya in Japan.
Of all the models installed in 11 cities worldwide at different scales, the Seoul edition remains the largest, as it stands 22 meters high and weighs 50 tons. It strikes a blow every 35 seconds from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on each weekday, operating at slightly longer hours than the average office workers in Seoul.
It is said that the imagery of Borofsky's industrial piece was first inspired by one tale of a kind giant told to the young sculptor by his musician father, according to the Sehwa Art and Culture Foundation under Taekwang Group that is responsible for operating and managing the Seoul installation.
And in 1976, a photo of a cobbler in Tunisia hammering away became the basis of his series' design.
The artist has noted on multiple occasions that the piece symbolizes working-class men and women throughout the world who labor with their hands.
"He or she is the village craftsman, the South African coal miner, the computer operator, the farmer or the aerospace worker ― the people who produce the commodities on which we depend," he stated.
In celebration of the sculpture's 20th anniversary, the Sehwa Art and Culture Foundation is running a special giveaway event, offering goodies to selected users who leave a congratulatory message for "Hammering Man's birthday" on the social media channels of the Sehwa Museum of Art.
