Stephan Balkenhol, born in Fritzlar in 1957, stands among the most celebrated wood sculptors of our time. In 1968, his family settled in Kassel, a city that would shape his destiny as he encountered the transformative power of art during the documenta exhibition. His artistic journey began at the Hamburg Academy of Fine Arts, where he found guidance and inspiration under the influence of Ulrich Rückriem.
Balkenhol’s art captures the quiet profundity of the everyday, carving ordinary men, women, and animals into figures that seem to pause between stillness and action. His wooden sculptures, rooted in simplicity, are not bound by elaborate narratives but resonate with a timeless sense of mystery and introspection. Through his drawings and photographs, which form the foundation of his creative process, Balkenhol envisions a delicate interplay between figure and environment. His works transcend the mundane, presenting a harmony between humanity, architecture, and the natural world, as though each figure whispers a story of quiet connection and enduring presence.
His creations grace the halls of renowned institutions such as the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. A devoted educator, Balkenhol has shared his vision with students in Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Karlsruhe, where he has been a professor since 1992.
