Stephan Balkenhol

Stephan Balkenhol is a Germany Sculptor. A student of German conceptual sculptor Ulrich Ruckiem in Hamburg, Balkenhol had an explorative and creative approach to sculpture and ‘human form’ that can be described and seen as a reaction to our current understanding and engagement of traditional and contemporary art. His use of distorted proportions, ordinary clothed figures and an often unusual choice of animals inject a sense of humour into this familiar and expected art form, creating an easily accessible yet intimate aesthetic that has generated a wider appeal for the mass public. He also applies and extends the same concepts to his drawings and wood relief works.

He has exhibited widely in Europe and the United States and has had important recent solo exhibitions at: Deichtorhallen, Hamburg (2008-2009); Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden, touring to Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst, Duisburg and Museum der Moderne, Salzburg (2006-2007); The National Museum of Art, Osaka (2005); Sprengel-Museum, Hanover (2003) and Centro Galego de Arte Contemporanea, Santiago de Compostela (2001). Balkenhol is currently showing a monumental sculpture of a male torso in the Foro di Cesare in Rome, a human presence among the ruins, until 15 January 2010.