Artist of the week. Stephan Balkenhol
a couple of weeks, July 14, 2010, in ends a long, three-month exhibition of German artist Stephan Balkenhol sculptor. Experts say the proximity of his style to the German social expressionism. At first glance, to work 53-year-old master becomes clear that the main passion Balkenhol - cleanliness anthropomorphism, the image of people without embellishment, without drag pathos in the poses. A major element - this is, of course, wood. Business Cards Balkenhol - carved board with painted reliefs, wooden "antiidoly" - sculptures, which have not known a "cosmetic" skins and deliberately demonstrate gross signs of chisel ...
 Stephen Balkenhol No title. 2003 Topography, tree. 80 x 60 Phillips. 18.10.2008 Estimate: 10-15 thousand pounds The result: 9,000 pounds (plus commission) Source: |
Where is it? From what age? But is our time, from the 2000's? Clothing and hairstyles, of course, will be given epoch. Historians guess. Yes - the 2000th. Although some may say that is strange: in the 2000th's so not done. Other aesthetics, outside the mainstream of the fair. On the contrary, something vaguely Renaissance in spirit and naive expressionist in style.
today - during the pressure of trends and fashion in art - not to get lost in the general art-landscape, not merge with it - it is already an achievement. One can not help you start to appreciate at least an elementary recognition, no longer believing in the preservation of true identity. For Stephan Balkenhol in this regard can be absolutely calm - in any array of objects of art grabs the eye with confidence his figurative reliefs and sculptures coarse texture. Yes, it is easy to slip into some prints (300-700 euros), or drawings Balkenhol (500-1000 euros), but his tree - never.
 Stephen Balkenhol Big man with little man on his hands. 1997 Tree. 100 x 248 x 125 Christie's. 14.05.2009 Estimate: 50-70 thousand dollars Result: 80 thousand dollars (plus commission) Source: |
 Stephen Balkenhol Woman in red dress. 2001 Mixed media on wood. 29,2 x 149,9 x 53.3 Phillips. 13.11.2009 Estimate: 30-40 thousand dollars Result: 20 thousand dollars (plus commission) Source: |
