The Golden Rider, the equestrian statue of Carl August in Dresden, Germany is a reminder that greatness can be captured. An equestrian statue with Angela Merkel sitting on a horse without a saddle or reins has elicited a different response from viewers. The question naturally arises: How did she get up there?
The answer is: Presumably with a crane. The artist Wilhelm Koch called his work an āambivalent sculptureā because it is not certain if the work conveyed āappreciation or ironyā. The answer however was clear on the Internet.
The sculpture deliberately does not have a pedestal: āSo grounded, as Angela Merkel has shaped politics, she is presented as a rider ā on a piece of lawn with a view to the east, saddle-firmly enthroned even without saddle and bridle, and in the safe position of her mount, an American Quarter Horse.ā
The artist added: āA public tribute on horseback in 2021 appears to most people as absurd as a horse-drawn carriage in Formula 1.ā
The statue sparked a wide echo on social media as Twitter users made fun of it. To most it was not an ambiguous depiction but an unflattering picture of their leader.
The golden concrete sculpture was set up at the Temple Museum Etsdorf. Various cultural events such as exhibitions and concerts take place there.
https://freewestmedia.com/2021/10/11/artist-mocks-merkel-with-golden-equestrian-statue/