The work is based on the Artemision bronze statue (c. 460 BC), recovered from a shipwreck off the Greek coast.
To this day, it remains unclear whether the original statue depicts Zeus (with lightning bolt) or Poseidon (with trident). Therefore, both names are used.
Xu Zhen added lacquered Peking ducks to the statue's arms.
This creates an ironic clash between Eastern and Western culture, a typical theme in his work.
The ducks resemble doves, but upon closer inspection, they reveal a subtle cultural nod.

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🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

September 9, 2023

Hiking

The work Eternity-Poseidon, Pigeons is a literal clash between two cultures. We see a classical bronze statue, Poseidon, on which birds are resting. However, if you look a little more …

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JakobusPilger

May 9, 2025

Hiking

Dating back to pre-Christian times, the deities of Roman and Greek mythology, in particular, have survived in the collective memory of Europeans to this day. Throughout history, they have been repeatedly depicted by artists as motifs in paintings or—as here on the Belgian coast, far from their homeland—as statues. On this hiking highlight, we encounter a sculpture of the Greek god Zeus, who rules over Mount Olympus—not just a high mountain in Greece, but above all, the legendary seat of the gods in ancient mythology.

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Informations

Elevation -40 m

Weather

Tuesday 31 March

13°C

8°C

17 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Location: De Haan, Oostende, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

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Eternity–Poseidon, Pigeons Statue

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