Chopping and carving into wood, Stephan Balkenhol (1957, Fritzlar) reveals figures that seem to emerge from the trunk of a tree, as if they have always been hidden within it. Balkenhol is an internationally celebrated artist, known for his sculptures and reliefs. His robust, colourful works depict everyday people or animals, sometimes a combination of both. They have a timeless, serene appearance and are often dressed in simple, plain clothing, which he applies with paint.
From the 1980s, Balkenhol chose to reintroduce figuration into sculpture, a counter-movement at a time when abstraction, minimalism, and conceptual art dominated. This decision marks the beginning of his success and sets him apart from his contemporaries. His sculptures of men in dark trousers and light shirts are famous, with their quiet, restrained poses conveying a universal human story.
Simplicity and craftsmanship
Over the years, Balkenhol has developed a style characterised by simplicity and craftsmanship. All his work is made by hand, without the help of assistants or computer-controlled machines. He begins with a chainsaw for the rough work, then uses a hammer, chisel, and gouge to refine each sculpture to the finest detail. Balkenhol carves both the figures and their bases from a single block of wood, often from poplar, wawa, or cedar.
Imperfections
By using traditional tools, Balkenhol allows himself to be guided by the natural imperfections of the wood, such as knots and grain. This gives each piece a raw, lively quality, with the marks of the carving process still visible. Wood is the perfect material for him: where stone is ‘too slow’ and plaster and clay are ‘too quick’, wood offers both resistance and energy. It stays ‘alive’, responds to its surroundings, and is impermanent.
About Stephan Balkenhol
Stephan Balkenhol (1957, Fritzlar, Germany) studied at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg from 1976 to 1982, where he was taught by Ulrich Rückriem, Nam June Paik and Sigmar Polke, among others. He lives and works in Kassel, Karlsruhe and Berlin (Germany) and Meisenthal (France) and is a professor at the Staatliche Akademie der Bildendenden Künste Karlsruhe. Balkenhol exhibits worldwide and his work is part of numerous art collections, including those of MoMA New York, Centre Pompidou Paris and Peggy Guggenheim Collection Venice. His work can be seen not only in prestigious museums worldwide, but also in public spaces, where his monumental sculptures occupy a meaningful place, including the Richard Wagner Denkmal in Leipzig (2013). A new work was unveiled on Friday 4 April 2025, commissioned by concert hall de Doelen in Rotterdam: a sculpture in honour of Dutch composer Willem Pijper (1894-1947).
