Artist Bio

Ortwin Folsch concealed his bleeding hand because he was afraid his father would take away his cherished sculpting tools. He was seven years old.

Born in Berlin, Germany in 1960, his parents were both medical doctors. In 1968, after taking a job at Yale, his father moved the family to Connecticut. Ortwin and his four siblings were sent strait to public school without knowing how to speak a word of English. This experience became the subject of one of his sculptures, Window.

From 1973 to 1984 he lived in Rochester, NY, where he took sculpture and design courses with Bruce Brown among others at Monroe Community College. Working with other artists was a great pleasure. He later graduated from SUNY Brockport with a BS and a teaching certificate.

At the end of 1984, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to take on a teaching position at the American School. He also entered into a barter agreement with the state owned Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro, offering sculpture courses in exchange for access to the wood of fallen trees. For many years, his small art studio was adjacent to the Botanical Garden.

Ortwin enjoys local artists, such as Frans Krajcberg, and Sebastião Salgado. Currently, he sculpts and sells his sculptures out of Rio de Janeiro.

I bring
visions to life

Artist Statement

I express my ideas through what is missing. Negative spaces harmonize with the solid. Most of my abstract sculptures are made of wood or bronze. I enjoy the grain and warmth of wood and cherish the majestic permanence of bronze.

As I cut a block of wood or a tree trunk, a mutual transformation takes place. For a brief moment, I am in complete control and know exactly how to sculpt. As soon as I let go of that certainty, the sculpture begins to take shape. Through not knowing, I am free to proceed.

As work progresses, my vantage point also changes. Grain, knots, and differences in texture appear and guide me to make modifications to my original vision. Nevertheless, the central premise remains the same.

Daylight reveals the planes and curves of the sculpture in progress. As the lines take shape, shadows and proportions fall into place.

Towards the end, a sense of urgency to finish replaces what once was merely a process. Strong, clean lines are not enough. The sculpture is finished only when the piece takes on an archetypal presence that can move its first observer.

I am always curious to see what others bring to each sculpture as they come to observe. Titles are required, but no one should read them. The artwork should fill the space and speak for itself.