A massive 12-ton stone that floats on water seems to defy the fundamental laws of physics, but German sculptor Reinhard Mader is making this seemingly impossible feat a reality in his quarry studio in Tittling. The ambitious artist is currently working on an extraordinary artwork that challenges our understanding of density and buoyancy by creating a floating granite boulder.
Mader is carefully hollowing out a three-meter-long granite boulder using specialized stone-cutting tools called Steinflex and compressed air equipment. His meticulous process involves removing the interior stone material while preserving the outer shell, gradually reducing the wall thickness until the stone structure becomes light enough to achieve positive buoyancy when placed in water.
The innovative technique requires exceptional precision and expertise, as the sculptor must calculate exactly how much material to remove while maintaining the structural integrity of the granite shell. The challenge lies in creating walls thin enough to allow the stone to float while ensuring the sculpture remains stable and visually impressive.
This remarkable project represents a fusion of artistic vision and engineering principles, demonstrating how creative professionals can push the boundaries of traditional materials and methods. Mader's work transforms a seemingly solid, heavy granite boulder into a paradoxical object that appears to violate natural laws while actually adhering to them through careful manipulation of mass and volume ratios.
The floating stone sculpture showcases the sculptor's deep understanding of both his craft and the physical properties of materials, turning his quarry workshop into a laboratory where art meets science in pursuit of the extraordinary.
