Sep 30

Manfred Hellweger

Manfred Hellweger is a sculptor who exhibits extensively in Austria as well as internationally in Italy and Germany. His most recent exhibitions in Austria include ART VIENNA International Art Fair, North Sea island Spiekeroog, Weisses Kreuz in Fließ, Sigmundsried Castle, Rechelerhaus Gallery, Augenblick Gallery, and Museum gallery Tarrenz. Manfred has completed extensive installation of public projects at venues in Austria such as the municipality of Grödig near Salzburg, Technical University of Darmstadt, and Saint Anton am Arlberg.

The sculptures range from distorted figures to stylized, conceptual landscapes to geometrical abstractions. Manfred’s strongest pieces tend to be his non-figurative works however his figurative pieces have a dignity and monumental presence with their stiff posture and intricately constructed form of small pieces. He uses materials such as cubes, strips, boards, nails or shaped tubes.

Containing a spiral effect or portraying angular distortion, the sculptures communicate typically through tall and slender vertical compositions, with the exception of Manfred’s pieces depicting mountains which have a landscape orientation. These lean sculptures portray a stylization and idealization of representational form, particularly of the human figure. Constructed from small pieces, these intricate works appear as if they created themselves, as if a magical whirlwind spiraled the pieces together to create a holistic form. Monumental yet elegant, Manfred’s sculptures convey elongated symmetrical purity but with angular proclivity. His works appear to be planned and intuitive with their polished finish and carefully constructed form rather than improvised.

Melting Glacier I (pictured above) uses real pine driftwood from glaciers and depicts the representation of a glacier through corten steel nails. The tall, vertical piece stands imposing like a ‘figurative landscape’ so to speak in giving a landscape a set of figurative traits through composition. These nails sit upon the natural frame of the wood in icicle-like shapes as if melting onto the bareness of the wood. Conveying white and pale earth tones, the piece has a pleasant minimalist color composition.

Whether through jagged symmetrical mountain landscapes or tall, slender figure-like compositions, Manfred Hellweger presses upon the viewer the importance of structure and orientation. These imposing sculptures with their puristic and geometrically-flowing forms grapple and reach for the sky with their tall stature. With a sense of capturing time and space, these distorted subjects become constructed in a way which communicates angular elegance. Manfred can be described as an artist who creates a distinctive stylization and distortion of his observed world in a way which reflects puristic conceptions of figures, landscapes, and geometric abstraction.