From the very first idea to the selection of artists and the realization on-site, everything was in our hands. This intense time of creative and organizational exchange deeply shaped me, and to this day I am proud of what we accomplished together.
Christian not only created outstanding artistic work during this time, but also contributed to the success of the entire symposium with great heart and precision. His ability to speak with stone continues to impress me again and again.
My own sculpture, created during the symposium, is titled “Mother and Son.” It is carved from the finest Carrara marble, a material that, with its brightness, homogeneity, and almost sensual surface, speaks its very own language. That is precisely why it is the most wanted stone in sculpture ever. We chose it deliberately.
The contrast it creates with the gray medieval architecture of San Marino was a key factor in our decision. Thanks to a generous and kind sponsor in Carrara, the marble blocks were custom cut for us, and we were awarded the prestigious quality grade A.
My sculpture shows one of my characteristic seated female figures, voluminous and grounded, captured in a quiet, composed gesture.
As I have created many times before, she carries herself with strength and serenity. Her left arm arches gracefully over her head in a pose that conveys both contemplation and introspection. Her right hand rests protectively on her lap, a subtle reference to the themes of motherhood and inner connection. The necklace on her chest, bearing an amulet of her child, speaks for itself.
What may at first appear to be an abstract or surreal head contains, in truth, a deeply central element of my work: the spiral, the shell form. The „Schneck“ form. This motif is a recurring signature in my artistic language. The spiral, to me, symbolizes growth, becoming, and a cyclical, organic movement that flows both inward and outward.
In this sculpture, it represents the child (the son) who seems to emerge from the mother’s core and yet remains an inseparable part of her thoughts, feelings, and being. This bond between mother and child is not represented by a physical figure, but through a metaphysical form, the spiral as a symbol of the flow of life, of origin, and of future.
The back view of the figure was also very important to me. A long, stylized braid runs down her back, a delicate counterpoint to the massive physicality of her form.
It represents sexy femininity, continuity, and our cultural memory passed on from generation to generation.
Like all the works created during our symposium, Mother and Son has found its permanent home along the historic city wall of San Marino, and mine positioned beside a significant city gate. For me, this is a special honor. I see it not only as a sculpture, but as a symbol of collaboration in a broader sense, a creative principle and as the manifestation of dreams given form.
There is so much of myself within Mother and Son, my artistic voice, my inner images. I am deeply grateful to everyone who took part in this project and especially to my mother Birgit, who gave me the gift of life.
San Marino 2013
