Gerhard Geyer "African woman with a child" 1961, set up 1969

Gerhard Geyer undertook an artistic study trip to the African countries of Guinea and Ghana in 1961. During this trip, he made many drawings and sketches, from which he developed this sculptural group of an African mother with her child after his return. According to the design concept, the theme of "friendship between peoples" was to be visualised for the district of Halle-Neustadt in which the sculpture was erected. In the 1960s, friendship among nations was an important instrument for the GDR in its efforts to gain international acceptance of the republic as a sovereign state - from the perspective of international law. It was aimed at socialist allied countries and the African countries Guinea and Ghana, which were liberating themselves from colonial structures at the end of the 1950s. Geyer proudly portrays the African woman as a representative of her liberated country.