Siebers Stephan

In his work, Cologne-based Stephan Siebers (*1963) explores the laws of gravity and the associated possibilities of illusion. In ever new variations, he knows how to surprise with seemingly impossible balances between volume and mass. Cubes, spheres and other shapes stand firmly on top of each other, although they appear to be falling, while movements are detached from time. His works appear illusionistic in their simplicity and make us forget the heaviness of the material. Transient moments are given a permanent form, fixed by the defiant indestructibility of the metal.

Siebers' inspiration is rooted in the aesthetics of the Bauhaus and is also influenced by the minimalist sculptors of the 1960s, such as Richard Serra, Sol LeWitt and Anthony Caro. These artists focussed their attention on unconventional, industrial materials of the time in order to accentuate the physical properties of their art. Siebers internalises their intellectual heritage and also chooses materials that allow him to create sculptures with a certain imbalance. 

Whether small or several metres high, the result is the same: The balancing acts structuring their space display a high degree of sustained inner tension and yet radiate an almost meditative calm. The rare lightness of the highly complex process of balanced weight distribution stands in stark contrast to the compact stability and heaviness of the material. Added to this is the superficial exploration of the elementary questions of sculpting with regard to balance and gravity, which is able to touch on human states such as emotional instability and the longing for security through the openly concealed associations. 

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«I want to construct spaces that let us experience a little more of who we are, so that we can all become different from who we are ... . I am working to find out what I don't know.»