DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The design principle to which the artist refers is based on his meticulous study of Greek sculpture. The proportions, formal correspondences, and algorithms he found there retain a lasting validity for him, and he consciously applies these almost engineering-like principles in his works. He speaks of a "system of correspondences" in relation to his work, meaning that it is based on a recurring design principle to which all forms relate. As he puts it, an "algorithm in three-dimensional form" is inscribed within the sculpture, thus precluding any arbitrariness in its shaping. Only when the sculpture is fully composed in all its parts does the intended complex system emerge, and with it, a form of abstraction occurs. Therefore, one can no longer speak of realism in the conventional sense. The existing algorithm is the meta-level, which is reflected in the work like a blueprint.

While the sculpture depicts the figures realistically, the composition is based on the geometric form of the triangle, as well as on sweep and counter-sweep – a compositional technique frequently found in classical art. The rhythm of the forms is more important here than precise and lifelike anatomy. The observant viewer can repeatedly discern the defining triangular form and the compositional sightlines within the sculpture. The fundamental design principle employed by the artist is thus readily apparent.

It is also interesting to observe where the artist elaborates the sculpture in greater detail and where he leaves the stone's surface in a rougher, more natural state. This creates interesting perspectives as one walks around the sculpture, constantly revealing new correspondences and areas of tension within the work.

The sculpture is a play of volume and surface, proportion and rhythm, light and materiality, as well as space and axes. The skillful interplay of these qualities creates the vibrancy and validity of the form.