Dr. Iris Cramer
Kuratorin der Kunstsammlung Deutsche Bundesbank

The bronze sculpture, Balance, by Ulla M.Scholl, is situated at the corner of the Leopoldstrasse and the Mittlerer Ring in Munich, in front of the main office of the Deutsche Bundesbank(formerly the Landeszentralbank of the Free State of Bavaria).
It originated in the year 2000 as one of the art projects completing the building. These were to reflect the main fields of activity in the Bank - safeguarding monetary stability and regulating cash flow - and also to be related to the architecture.
For the Munich painter and sculptor, Ulla M.Scholl, here the human figure is central to her concept. The female torso, a more than life-sized nude standing on tiptoe, is idealized; individualized features are purposely reduced. With the title, Balance, the artist takes up a traditional theme in sculpture. The figure carries a curved bow, which extends outwards at the back of her neck and across both her shoulders. This brings the verticality of the form into a fragile equilibrium.
At the same time, the curved shape of the bow reflects the curved facade of the architecture, creating a direct relationship between the sculpture and the entrance to the building. In this bronze statue, the artist gives expression to the idea of a ‚balancing act‘ which can only succeed by concentrating on essentials. This resolution of opposing forces can also be understood as a metaphor.

Download Flyer Balance (German PDF)