Bernhard Luginbühl

(Switzerland) *1929 in Bern; †2011 in Langnau

The Swiss artist Luginbühl was besides Eduardo Chillida one of the first who began making iron sculpture in the mid-twentieth century. Many of his earlier works no long exist, because the artist destroyed them, altered them completely, or burned them. Luginbühl is a collector, and his sculptures, like those of Tingueley, are made of found scrap metal that is welded, riveted, and screwed together, and so given a new life. In so doing, the artist thinks like an engineer. Most of his works do not need a plinth, but stand despite their immense size on their own. The fantastic constructions Reif 2004 (Ripe 2004) and Stengel mit Abrissbirne (Stalk with Wrecking Ball) shown in Bad Homburg testify to the skilled craftsmanship of this artist, who delicately balances each of the heavy iron beams on dainty feet. At the same time, the works also tell of a joy in play and creation, making the sober scraps of our industrial society into wonderful new constructions that evoke the most various associations.