Thomas Schütte has unveiled here a monumental new bronze: Mutter Erde [Mother Earth], which greets visitors in the forecourt. The figure evokes a mythical queen or fairytale character. Its source is in fact a small figurine from a traditional Dreikönigskuchen, considerably enlarged. As with its male counterpart, Vater Staat [Father State or Fatherland] (2010), on view inside the building (Room 6), the tour de force of these archetypal full-length sculptures lies in the difference between their solid frontal aspect and the astonishing lightness that becomes apparent as one walks around them, with different facets emerging from Mutter Erde’s puff sleeves, the folds of her dress, and her tiara depending on where one stands. Mutter Erde, with all the symbolism of her name, seems to be protective while embodying a form of authority. At night, her eyes mysteriously glow, thanks to a solar panel on the back of her neck.