Stephan Balkenhol

There must be few contemporary sculptors who have managed to create such striking and unmistakable three-dimensional works as those by the German artist Stephan Balkenhol (born 1957). His iconic figures of a man wearing a white shirt and black trousers have made him famous well beyond Germany’s borders. Balkenhol is a sculptor in the traditional sense: He carves out his sculptures and reliefs from what are sometimes huge wooden logs using mallet and chisel, saw and knife. Traces of manual work and material properties are not covered up but become a fascinating feature of the work. His theme has always been and continues to be the human figure.

The Lehmbruck Museum presents a comprehensive show of Stephan Balkenhol’s work, developed in close collaboration with the artist himself. Beginning with his early works, the exhibition spans his oeuvre right up until our present day and includes several works created especially for Duisburg. Numerous drawings and plaster models provide further insights into Stephan Balkenhol’s creative process and his artistic world of ideas.

The exhibition is supported by the NATIONAL-BANK AG and the ministry of culture and science of the state of north rhine-westphalia.