The monumental ceramic sculptures of Austrian artist Elmar Trenkwalder captivate viewers with their visual splendor and mysterious allure. His forms appear familiar yet enigmatic - what seems clear at first glance becomes elusive upon closer inspection. The 66-year-old artist masterfully combines baroque illusion with contemporary artistic language and archaic motifs in his ceramic works.
Starting November 6, Trenkwalder's sculptures are being displayed at the Upper Belvedere in Vienna's Carlone Hall as part of the "CARLONE CONTEMPORARY" exhibition series. These works fascinatingly connect past and present, creating a dialogue between different eras through their unique artistic expression.
For over forty years, Trenkwalder has established himself as a master of ceramic sculpture. His works are massive, richly detailed, and evoke architectural elements. In his artistic practice, he draws upon biomorphic forms and incorporates ancient figures and ornaments. His work references both Western art history and Asian symbolism, creating a cross-cultural dialogue through clay and glaze.
The artist's meticulous process involves hand-forming every detail, then firing and glazing each component before assembling everything into a unified artwork. This labor-intensive approach reflects his commitment to traditional ceramic techniques while pushing the boundaries of the medium. Trenkwalder lives and works in Innsbruck, Austria, where he continues to develop his distinctive artistic vision.
Trenkwalder gained international recognition early in his career, exhibiting in Cologne and France before participating in numerous prestigious exhibitions worldwide. His impressive exhibition history includes Aperto 90 at the Venice Biennale in 1990, "Austria im Rosennetz" at MAK Vienna, "Wunderkammer Österreich" at Kunsthaus Zurich in 1996, and La Biennale de Lyon in 1997.
The artist's work has been featured at some of the world's most renowned cultural institutions. From 2001 to 2003, his sculptures were displayed at the Upper Austrian State Museum in Linz. In 2005, his work was exhibited at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, followed by shows at Maison Rouge Paris in 2008 and the Centre Pompidou Paris in 2017. More recently, his sculptures were featured at the Museum of Fine Arts Leipzig in 2018 and at Beelden aan Zee in The Hague in 2022.
The current exhibition at Vienna's Upper Belvedere offers visitors the opportunity to experience Trenkwalder's remarkable ceramic sculptures until the end of March. The Carlone Hall provides an ideal setting for these monumental works, allowing viewers to fully appreciate the intricate details and impressive scale that characterize the artist's distinctive approach to ceramic sculpture.
