ARTIST BIOGRAPHY

I have been working at the interface of design, technology and art for more than 30 years. After completing my studies in mechanical engineering and sculpture at the University of the Arts Berlin, I discovered glass and light in neon works during a stay in New York (1980-81).

After that, I founded LICHTBAU und STRATAS in Berlin that deal with the development of light sources and lighting tools for museums: they can be found worldwide in renowned institutions such as embassies (e.g. Turkish Embassy Berlin), public and private buildings (e.g. Ministry of Economics Berlin, Lego House in Vejle, Denmark) and museums (e.g. The State Hermitage, St. Petersburg). The focus was also on luminaires that I developed especially for exhibition spaces, as well as custom-made light sculptures for artists such as Pae White, Mona Hatoum and Olafur Eliasson.

For the past three years, I have been increasingly interested in the interplay of glass and light in sculptural objects. 

Two years ago I deepened my knowledge of the production conditions of glass with Zdenek Lhotsky in the Czech Republic and learned how to control long melting and cooling processes in order to give the material different appearances. Since then I have continued to work and experiment with production processes such as kiln casting, grinding and polishing, exploring the interplay of glass and light in three-dimensional forms.

I work exclusively with optical glass from the Czech Republic. The workability and exceptional transparency of optical glass allow me to combine light, color filters, and my engineering background to create new structures and color effects within the material. Mist-like streaks, controlled air bubbles, and colored inclusions emerge through careful manipulation; unexpected forms appear within the three-dimensional transparent medium. This process fascinates me and keeps me engaged.

The glass acts as a stage, with internal structures forming a unique visual performance and meaning for each observer.

Every step in creating my light and glass works requires a lot of attention, sensitivity and control.

I prefer to work independently, because I value each step of this craftsmanship equally.

My work explores glass objects that are both functional and sculptural.
I want to create objects that people want to live with.