Two-headed Beethoven statue causes controversy

1 April 2014, 17:54 | Updated: 1 April 2014, 17:56

'Homage to Beethoven', a new monument by sculptor Markus Lüperz, is making waves in the composer's birthplace as Bonn residents ask: is it art?

The monument - one of 12 statues of the composer in Bonn, Germany - features an armless torso with a swollen head looking longingly into the distance, sitting in front of a blue glowing bust of the great composer. The new sculpture towers at 2.7 metres high - almost double the height of Beethoven himself - and weighs a whopping 1100 kilograms.

Despite not being a huge fan of Beethoven's music, Lüperz insists the sculpture embodies the personality of the great composer. The artwork is said to symbolise Beethoven's genius triumphing over adversity. "I tried to do justice to Beethoven with an intense work of art," he said.

Lüpertz, whose 'Homage to Mozart' featured the composer's head on a muscular female torso with one arm, said: "It is not my intention to provoke."

Despite the Bonn residents' mixed responses, the sculpture is set to stay in the city on a ten year loan after it was revealed on March 30.

Markus Lüpertz hat heute Mittag seine Beethoven Skulptur in der @BundesstadtBonn der Öffentlichkeit übergeben.@BILD pic.twitter.com/8sIjKZ8VDD

— Daniel Biskup (@DanielBiskup) March 30, 2014