The history of sculptures links back to the time when statues of gods were built to be venerated and worshipped. Later came the statues of famous people and military leaders which acted as a kind of tribute to their lives and the lives they touched. Over time, art has become more abstract and a sculpture&rsquos main purpose today is to add emotion and colour to the most mundane of surroundings. Since time immemorial, sculptors have explored the relationship between viewer, space, and material object in a myriad of ways.

Here are some of the most creative modern sculptures from around the world.

Singing Ringing Tree, England

The Shoes on the Danube Bank, Hungary

Maman, Spain

Release, South Africa

The Architectural Fragment, Australia

Force of Nature, London

Les Voyageurs, France