‘Datenträger’ (‘Data Carrier’)

Standing outside an IT company in Lübeck, northern Germany, the rusted figure Datenträger (“Data Carrier”) blends art, technology, the human form, and a touch of whimsy in a unique way. Created in 2012, the over-10-foot (3-meter) cyber-inspired sculpture depicts a man holding a laptop in one hand and a bundle of cables in the other.

Self-taught local sculptor Claus Görtz built the piece from shredded and welded iron plates. The rough texture of the figure gives it a pixelated look, reminiscent of the early days of computer graphics. In contrast, the face is more detailed, cast in iron, which adds an element of realism amid the abstract design.

In German, the term Datenträger usually refers to physical devices that store data, like USB sticks, hard discs or CDs, but can also include older analog forms like VHS or cassette tapes. Görtz takes this literal definition to an imaginative extreme, personifying a “data carrier” in the form of a walking human-machine hybrid.