Stephan Balkenhol, Wolfgang Tillmans

Stephan Balkenhol is a sculptor in the truest sense of the word, for he carves figures and architectural sceneries in wood. He preferably works in wawa or poplar wood, which are easy to carve, and then finishes his sculptures in colour. No matter whether he is making a free-standing sculpture or a relief, Balkenhol carves his motifs – including their pedestals – out of one single piece. This requires the highest degree of concentration, for he has only to make one mistake and the whole work is irretrievably spoilt. For all its accuracy of detail, Balkenhol’s work is characterized by a rough-hewn quality which heightens the expressiveness of his subject matter.

In reliefs such as his “Temple” and sculptures such as his “Blesser”, Blankenhol’s preoccupation with classical themes and forms is particularly evident. Like hardly any other artist of his time, this sculptor conducts a permanent dialogue between tradition and modernity. The “Woman in Raffia Skirt”, for example, sports a short, modern hairstyle, and it is difficult to decide whether the man on the “Cloud” has struck a meditative pose, like Christ in Heaven, or is simply sitting there casually.

The centrepiece of our exhibition of the works of Wolfgang Tillmans organized jointly with the Daniel Buchholz Gallery is his large-format, 16-part wall installation of 2000. His “Blushes”, reduced – in aesthetic terms – to absolute essentials, are unique exemplars which explore the potential of photography as a medium of art installation.