A 30ft high aluminum sculpture by the Zhou Brothers

The Ring of Life is a custom creation by internationally acclaimed artists the Zhou Brothers for the Swiss Paraplegic Center in Nottwill (SPZ).  It celebrates and concludes the building and expansion process of the SPZ since 1980.  It will also mark the 30th anniversary of the inception of the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation by Dr. Guido A. Zäch in 1975.  It is a testament to the perseverance of its founder and director for many years and the coming together of a whole nation to help people with severe handicaps and give them a new outlook on life.

The ring is the most powerful representation of life itself. It stands for the one cycle that all things are going through as much as for the many recurring cycles of everyday life.  Many new beginnings have to be made in the lifetime of a human being and only the eternal sprit is being carried forth from generation to generation.  The flow of the curves in the ring is organic and reflects the sensibility and power of nature.  Placed next to a Biotope it also symbolizes the unity of man with nature.  The wings of the Pflegetrakt of the SPZ where the sculpture is to be placed in front of is based on a circular design and the entire complex is surrounded by an access road that spirals inward.

For many patients the treatment at the hospital is a new beginning and a new chapter in their life is starting.  All this has become a reality because now 1.2 million patrons have formed a ring of support that has made the SPZ the leading institution for paraplegic research in the world.

The unveiling took place in October 2005 in Nottwil near Zurich, Switzerland.