Salzburg Unveils 300 Golden Mini-Mozarts for Composer’s 270th Birthday

To mark Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 270th birth anniversary, the Mozarteum Foundation installed 300 gold-colored statues of the composer and his dog Pimperl in Salzburg, Austria. Each figure stands about 50 cm (under 20 in) tall. Although 400 statues were produced, only 300 are on public display in the Mirabell Garden, Mozart’s former apartments, and several pavilions; the remaining pieces are kept in reserve in case of theft. Within hours of the unveiling, two statues were reported stolen.

UsNews and World ReportHorde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer's birth in Salzburg

The foundation hopes the shimmering figures will draw new visitors to Mozart’s music and museums. By presenting the composer in a “human” form, the project aims to spark curiosity among passersby and encourage them to explore Salzburg’s cultural offerings.

Horde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer's birth in Salzburg

Linus Klumpner of the Mozarteum Foundation explained the theft risk and the exhibition’s goal, noting that the statues are intended to “bring new people in contact with Mozart.” German artist Ottmar Hörl emphasized his intent to portray Mozart’s ordinary side rather than create another monument, adding that public-space artworks inevitably face “destruction to theft.”

UsNews and World ReportHorde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer's birth in Salzburg

Visitors may purchase a statue for 100 euros (? $114) while supplies last. Hörl, known for large-scale polymer works, previously displayed 10,000 plastic owls in Athens (2010) and oversized plastic hares in Daegu, South Korea. In 2009, German prosecutors declined to investigate his golden garden-gnome series that mimicked a prohibited salute, which Hörl described as satire against Nazi ideology.

UsNews and World ReportHorde of golden mini-Mozarts marks 270 years since the composer's birth in Salzburg

• “I didn’t want to do a monument of Mozart. There are already enough of these. But I wanted to show his human side, that he was a normal human being despite his genius,” — Ottmar Hörl, artist

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• “Two already got stolen within the last few hours,” — Linus Klumpner, Mozarteum Foundation

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• “You come here, maybe you see the small golden heads shimmering in the sun on the horizon. And people become curious,” — Linus Klumpner, Mozarteum Foundation

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• “That’s just the nature of public space. That means when you work as an artist in a public space you mustn’t complain about what is happening there,” — Ottmar Hörl, artist

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