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ANIMA(L)

The Latin word anima is translated in various ways: it means soul, a living being, life, but also a breath of air, wind, and respiration. The word animal, meaning living creature, being, or beast, is derived from it.

Since 2011, I have devoted myself to animal sculpture. In my studio in Stangenrod, Germany, I create ceramics, bronzes, and charcoal drawings. In this work, I am always searching for the inner essence of the animals and for what has connected us humans with them since the beginning of our existence.

Did prehistoric humans separate their human existence from what we call the wilderness, or were they simply a part of it? Is the sharp contrast between wilderness and culture, which shapes our Western worldview, the only possible perspective?

In the Paleolithic era, when humans began to express themselves artistically through painting, sculpture, or music, they lived in Europe in a world of cold tundras, inhabited by vast herds of animals. These creatures were at once a source of food and raw materials, and a life-threatening danger. Prehistoric depictions of animals, whether in sculpture or cave paintings, bear witness to the close bond between early humans and wild animals. I aim for my sculptures to speak to viewers on an emotional, instinctive level, transporting them back to the time of prehistoric humans and forging a bridge to the unconscious, which has preserved its roots in our origins.