MEET THE ARTISTS

Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival
June 14 – 22, 2024

Michael Rofka

Michael Rofka (Laatzen, Germany) had a deep affinity for trees and the natural world as a child. He would look for and gather stones. At first he wanted to become a scientist and studied biochemistry, but he couldn’t see or experience nature. He therefore chose to enroll in a multidisciplinary academy to study fine arts. Painting and installations are included in his work, but sculpture has taken center stage. In more than 20 nations, he and his Ukrainian wife Anna, who is also an artist, have created stone and wood sculptures as well as land art pieces. While Michael doesn’t use figurative art in his creations, he nevertheless views art as a means of artistically exploring and comprehending nature.

Website

2024 SCULPTURE PHOTO GALLERY

“Flow”

Red Oak
101″ x 17″ x 17″

Artist’s Statement: My main theme in making art is nature and the red oak used fits nicely with my theme. When making art I think about geometry and above all the flow and form found in water, air and shapes in nature. With these components I start an open creative process. I am influenced by the wood, the place and the environment. There is no defined meaning in my work. An explanation would destroy my intent. My hope is that visitors can find a dialogue with the sculpture by feeling and finding her/his own meaning.

Photos: Jessica Koopman