Until 24 June, KETELEER GALLERY in Antwerp is presenting a solo exhibition by the famous German sculptor Stephan Balkenhol. His roughly cut and instantly recognisable sculptures have ambivalent facial expressions — are they staring into the distance or are they introverted? — and often evoke a sense of contemplation and belonging in the viewer. Balkenhol's work is an ongoing exploration of the human form and its sculptural possibilities.
The work of Stephan Balkenhol (1957) is characteristic for several reasons. On the one hand, he was one of the first contemporary sculptors to work figuratively again from the late 1970s, in an art world that was mainly interested in abstract, minimalist and conceptual approaches at the time. On the other hand, Balkenhol's work is marked by artisanal skills. He makes use of traditional woodcarving techniques and creates detailed wooden sculptures by hand. The artist also clearly shows the traces of his methods and tools. Balkenhol mainly works with wood and has a preference for soft wood types such as poplar and cedar. He usually carves his works from a single block of wood, using hammers and chisels and minimal use of machinery. The statues and plinths are usually made from the same piece of wood, often complete tree trunks, and Balkenhol does not hide this specific transition with the layer of paint. The splinters, cracks and grooves that you normally only see during the sculpting process also remain visible.
People are often central to his work. Balkenhol's sculptures appear simple and subdued and show everyday people in simple clothing, often without offering a clear emotion. He avoids exaggerated details and complexity, which imbues his works a certain calmness, universality and serenity. This modest approach makes his sculptures accessible and makes sure that they appeal to the viewer's imagination. The figures are archetypal and invite the viewer to offer their own meaning to the work. Balkenhol also uses scale in an interesting way: sometimes he makes heads that are as big as people, sometimes he makes life-size figures but with 2 meter long legs. This results in raw, timeless and expressive sculptures that show the traditional nature of the manufacturing process. They do not convey a message, but raise questions instead.
In an interview with Artdependence in 2014, the artist stated:
“Figurative sculpture is often misused as a bearer of messages. In my vision my sculptures become a question, a mirror. And it is the viewer who fills it with meaning. Astonishingly enough, many beholders can hardly bear this ‘openness’. Both myself and my sculptures do need this element of tension, this mystery.”
In addition to his wooden sculptures, Balkenhol also makes reliefs/woodcuts, drawings and screen prints. He continues to experiment with materials and forms, effectively bridging the gap between sculpture and painting. His work is an ongoing exploration of the human form and its sculptural possibilities.
Balkenhol's work has been exhibited worldwide, including frequently in public spaces. In many cases, these sculptures enter into a intentional relationship with their surroundings. His work is included in the collections of institutions such as Centre Pompidou, ARKEN Museum of Modern Art, Museum Voorlinden, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, the MoMA, the LACMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, Hamburger Bahnhof and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. Balkenhol studied at the Hochschule für bildende Künste in Hamburg, where he was taught by Nam June Paik and Sigmar Polke, among others. Since 1991, he works as a professor at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Karlsruhe.