Stephen Hicks visits Peter Schipperheyn’s "Zarathustra" Sculpture
My friend, philosopher, Stephen Hicks is in Australia now lecturing and debating. On a break, he visited sculptor Peter Schipperheyn. I am envious. : ) Below is his post about the visit:
In Melbourne, I met Peter Schipperheyn, creator of the magnificent Thus Spake Zarathustra. The monumental piece is at the McClelland Sculpture Park near Mornington. The tension running through Zarathustra’s bowed body as he reaches and affirms his decision is powerful.
Schipperheyn decided on its name in part from reading Nietzsche’s Ecce Homo (“Why I am a Fatality”, 3):
… Zarathustra was the most truthful of thinkers. In his teaching alone is truthfulness upheld as the highest virtue — that is to say, as the reverse of the cowardice of the ’idealist’ who takes to his heels at the sight of reality. Zarathustra has more pluck in his body than all other thinkers put together. To tell the truth and to aim straight : that is the first Persian virtue. Have I made myself clear? . . . The overcoming of morality by itself, through truthfulness, the moralist’s overcoming of himself in his opposite — in me — that is what the name Zarathustra means in my mouth.”
A smaller-scale work-up in the artist’s studio:
A shot with the full bronze in the background:
Also at the sculpture park is Schipperheyn’s Torso Femminile (1995-2000), made from Carrara marble.
My review of Schipperheyn here.