Stephan Balkenhol's hybrid human-animal sculptures on view in Milan
German artist Stephan Balkenhol (born 1957 in Fritzlar) presents a solo exhibition at Galleria Monica De Cardenas in Milan, featuring carved wooden sculptures that blend human figures with animal heads. The show includes life-sized statues on massive wooden bases, evoking classical caryatids and telamons, yet dressed in contemporary anonymous attire. Balkenhol's expressive chisel marks remain visible, and the works combine Donatello-like shallow relief with Romanesque cubic volumes, accented with primary colors. The artist's therianthropic figures—half human, half animal—are depicted in everyday modern poses, maintaining an inscrutable silence. The exhibition's title and duration are not specified in the source.
Key facts
- Stephan Balkenhol was born in 1957 in Fritzlar, Germany.
- The exhibition is held at Galleria Monica De Cardenas in Milan.
- Sculptures are carved from wood, including cedar, poplar, and tropical obeche.
- The works feature human bodies with animal heads (therianthropes).
- Figures are dressed in contemporary clothing like jeans and caps, but also historical garments like ruffs and cassocks.
- The artist's chisel marks are intentionally left visible as an expressive gesture.
- The sculptures combine stylistic references to Donatello and Romanesque art.
- The exhibition's specific dates are not provided in the source.
Entities
Artists
- Stephan Balkenhol
Institutions
- Galleria Monica De Cardenas
Locations
- Milan
- Italy