Chrysalis, Magdeburg

Chrysalis is a sculpture in the sculpture park Magdeburg in the old town of Magdeburg.

The sculpture Chrysalis was created by Ian Hamilton Finlay in 1996/2007 from bronze and brass. With only 21.5 cm in height, 75 cm in width and 74.4 cm in depth, it is one of the smaller objects in the sculpture garden. The sculpture depicts a bronze ship's propeller resting in a brass container. The container resembles a wooden pallet. One of the wooden-looking brass struts bears the inscription Chrysalis. Chrysalis is the term used to describe the period in which the metamorphosis of an insect takes place, or the pupa, i.e. the metamorphosing insect itself. In the work of art, the propeller is thus the object undergoing metamorphosis, although it is open which stage the propeller represents, i.e. whether it is to be seen as the beginning or end of metamorphosis, and which development results here.

The work was proposed by the artist for the exhibition of the Kunstmuseum Magdeburg Wasser, Ströme, Zeiten. DIE ELBE between proposed shortly before his death. The work goes back to the "one-word poem" Crate created by the artist. The artist saw in the great diversity of species, resulting from the evolutionary history associated with constant adaptation and specialization, uniting aesthetics and functionality, a model for the ethical goals of humanity.