Art is War
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Beethoven dedicated his 3rd symphony to Napoleon but took the dedication back when Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor. This was the motive for the sculpture “Art is War”.
The artwork therefore refers to music and war. The shadow on Napoleon’s side depicts a vulture, which feeds on corpses, as war does. While the shadow on Beethoven’s side is a happy dog, which expresses and also gives emotions, just like music.
The shadow of the vulture arises from materials that symbolically have the color of gold (war is made for money), while the shadow of the dog arises from aluminum (music is not made for money but for the expression and creation of feelings).
In the sculpture there is also a frame that separates these two human characters.
The title “Art is War” speaks of the war that artists fight for a better world (and Beethoven, by
removing the dedication, fought a battle).