Experience sculptures in Esbjerg
Explore a city where art is shaped by sea, space and urban life.
Follow three routes: major works, hidden gems, and Hjalmar Sonne’s distinctive works in stone.
Mennesket ved Havet (Man Meets the Sea)
It is a monumental sculptural group of four men seated facing the sea. The work explores humanity’s encounter with nature and portrays the human condition both in solitude and in fellowship with others. Note that one of the figures has six toes.
Esbjerg by Robert Jacobsen
The iron sculpture is composed of straight lines and circular elements. Its geometric language can be seen as an artistic interpretation of Esbjerg’s rectilinear city plan.
Heerups Have (Heerup’s Garden)
It is a small sculpture garden in Esbjerg featuring a stone family of 19 figures with names such as Reclining Swan, Snail Shape, and Tank Truck. The sculptures are designed to spark the viewer’s imagination and sense of humor.
Esbjerg by Per Kirkeby
The brickwork sculpture may at first glance resemble non-functional architecture. Through its use of bricks, the work refers to architectural language and examines the boundary between exterior and interior space.
Ocean Knight
Ocean Knight by Monira Al Qadiri rises as a large red sculpture in an abstract, enlarged form inspired by a microscopic marine organism – a dinoflagellate. The work is a tribute to the smallest yet vital organisms of the sea, such as plankton and algae.
Lyshøjen
The landscape sculpture Lyshøjen was created using surplus soil from motorway construction. It consists of a mound topped with 19 lights that respond to traffic flow on the motorway. Visitors are welcome to climb the hill and enjoy the view.
I am your yesterday (and you are my tomorrow)
The title refers to a wave moving against the current of the surrounding sea. The large-scale organic form expresses the uncontrollable forces of nature, which can appear both alluring and overwhelming. The sculpture is located in Hjerting Strandpark.
Obelisk
The sculpture by Karl Åge Riget presents a harmonious and vibrant surface in which geometric forms are assembled like elements in a system. The work is rooted in constructive art and characterized by clear, pure color fields.
Eftertanke (Afterthought)
The granite sculpture was created by Hjalmar Sonne. Various figures are engraved into the stone, all bearing thoughtful expressions. Sonne is known for his many granite sculptures in Esbjerg, which explore the human condition in all its aspects.
Frihed og fællesskab (Freedom and Community)
The sculpture by Hans August Andersen is constructed from linear forms and deliberately avoids references to nature. Such works often engage in dialogue with their built surroundings.
Hermes
The bronze sculpture Hermes was created by Ludvig Brandstrup. In Greek mythology, Hermes is the god of roads and travel as well as of merchants and thieves. The sculpture is executed in a detailed naturalistic style rooted in traditional sculpture.
Åkande (Water Lily)
The sculpture by the artist duo Randi and Katrine depicts a stylized water lily that can be viewed both indoors and outdoors. The leaves feature circular patterns and rest on a stone surface reminiscent of a swimming pool floor.
Det nye testamente (The New Testament)
This sculpture by Hjalmar Sonne is on motifs from the New Testament. It was conceived as a proposal for the parish council at Jerne Church. Stone originates from a gravel pit near Aabenraa, and imagery is characteristic of Sonne’s craft-based practice.
Planeternes rotation (The Rotation of the Planets)
The stone sculpture by Hjalmar Sonne is located in Kornvangen in Esbjerg. It illustrates that the planet Venus rotates counterclockwise, while the other planets rotate clockwise.
Unge under paraplyen (Young People Under a Parasol)
It is a stone sculpture by Hjalmar Sonne, installed in a courtyard at the Ungdomsbo housing complex in Esbjerg. The work depicts young people living in the surrounding buildings.
Stoppenålen (The Darning Needle)
The sculpture by Hjalmar Sonne is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name. It tells of a darning needle that imagines itself a sewing needle. The moral is not to pretend to be something one is not.
Cutty Sark
The stone sculpture Cutty Sark by Hjalmar Sonne is located near the housing association on Hjertingvej. It commemorates the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Races held in Esbjerg in 1993.
Æ Hav (The Sea)
The fountain from 1968 was created by Hjalmar Sonne using granite reclaimed from former urban and harbor installations in Esbjerg. It was intended as a gift for the harbor’s 100th anniversary but was declined by the municipality.
Sculptures in Ribe
Explore Denmark’s oldest town and experience art in historic surroundings – with a special focus on storytelling and women in art.
Sculptures in Bramming
Discover sculptures in wood and stone with strong expressions and themes of life, people and history.
Sculptures in Gørding
Find sculptures that play with form, symbolism and reflection in peaceful surroundings.
