Michael Behrens
Michael Behrens(born 1973 in Düsseldorf, Germany) is a German sculptor working with glass. He operates internationally, mainly in Europe and North America.[1]
Life
Michael Behrens, grown up in Neuss, lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany. From 1999 to 2003 Behrens studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht, Netherlands where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2003 .[2]
In 2004 and 2007, Behrens worked as a project supervisor for Ethiopian Reflections in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. In 2008 and 2009, he was assigned as a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture – Plastic Shaping at the Technical University (TU) Darmstadt. In 2010, Michael Behrens spent several months in Damascus, Syria, coordinating and supervising the Arte Vetro project "Kiln-Formed Glass".[3]
Behrens regularly participates in international art fairs such as the Art Palm Beach (Florida, US), SOFA Chicago (Illinois, US), Pan Amsterdam (Netherlands), Art Breda (Netherlands) and ART.FAIR Cologne (Germany). His work is part of public collections like the Museum Kunst Palast in Düsseldorf/Germany, the Ernsting Stiftung (de:Kurt Ernsting) in Coesfeld/Germany, the "Modern Glass" Museum in Öhringen, the de:Glasmuseum Immenhausen near Kassel/Germany and the Seven Bridges Foundation in Greenwich/Connecticut/US.[4][5]
Art
Michael Behrens began experimenting with glass in 2002. Nature and the surrounding environment, especially the underwater world, inspire his work.[6] The reduction to few colors and the cell structures resulting from the fusion of the utilized glass pieces, are the main characteristics of his works. The relationship between shape and content is of high importance in Behrens' work.[7] The outer shapes of his sculptures appear deliberately random, supported by the fine, relief-like crimped modeling of the edges and the interplay of matt and polished surfaces.[8]
In addition to glass objects, Behrens furthermore creates two-dimensional works abstracting photo material from satellite images and maps.[9]
Technique
Behrens produces all artworks in his studio in Düsseldorf where to find his custom-built furnaces. Each piece undergoes several complex production phases: The sculptural work on a rigid foam model, the production of the melting molds, the arrangement of pre-processed glass pieces in the melting mold, the actual melting and cooling processes as well as the finish by grinding, polishing and/or sandblasting. The production of a single sculpture usually takes several months.[10]
Awards
- Fort Wayne Museum Award,42th Annual International Glass Invitational Award Exhibition,with Habatat Galleries Michigan, US, 2014
- Frederik Meijer Award 41th Annual International Glass Invitational Award Exhibition", with Habatat Galleries Michigan, US, 2013
- Collector's Choice 40th Annual International Glass Invitational Award Exhibition, with Habatat Galleries Michigan, US, 2012
- Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Award, 39th Annual International Glass Invitational Award Exhibition, with Habatat Galleries Michigan, US, 2011
- 1st Prize, Arts and Crafts state award North Rhine-Westphalia, Kevelaer, Germany, 2009
- 3rd Immenhäuser Glass Award, Germany, 2009
- Jutta Cuny-Franz Memorial Award Selected Entries, Germany, 2009
- 1st Prize Glass Art Prize Glasveredler 2008 Glasstec, Germany, 2008
- Innovation Glass Art Prize Weru, Germany, 2007
Selected exhibitions
- 2016: Ernsting Foundation, New Additions 2015, Coesfeld, Germany, Group Show
- 2016: Habatat Galleries, Royal Oak, Michigan, US, Group Show
- 2016: Plateaux Gallery, London, United Kingdom, Group Show
- 2015: Sikabonyi Gallery, Vienna, Austria, Solo Show
- 2015: Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada, Group Show
- 2014: Etienne Gallery Oisterwijk, Netherlands, Solo Show
- 2013: "Glass is more", Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf, Germany, Group Show[11]
- 2013: Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan, US, Group Show
- 2012: Continuum Gallery, Königswinter, Germany, Solo Show
- 2012: LWL – Museum, Glashütte Gernheim, Germany, Group Show
- 2010: Van Loon Gallery, Vucht, Netherlands, Solo Show
- 2010: Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf, Germany, Group Show
- 2008: Ernsting Foundation, Coesfeld, Germany, Solo Show
Bibliography
- Dr Ricke, Helmut (2008). Underwaterworld & Icebergs – Michael Behrens & Peter Bremers. Exhibition catalogue, Ernsting Stiftung
- Glasmuseum Hentrich (2008). Recent acquisitions of glass sculpture at the Glasmuseum Hentrich. Glasmuseum Hentrich
- Dr von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk,Dedo. Michael Behrens (2009).The Burlington Magazine, Issue 1275, Vol. 151, pp. 394/95
- Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast (2010). GLASpekte – Künstler aus Nordrhein-Westfahlen in Dialog mit Arbeiten aus dem Glasmuseum Hentrich. Stiftung Museum Kunst Palast
- Elliott, Kate; Rogers, Michael; Jeff Wallin, Jeff (2010). E-Merge 2010 – A Showcase of Rising Talents in Kiln-Glass. Bullseye Glass
- LWL-Indutriemuseum (2012). Rotation SiO2 – 200 Jahre Glashütte Gernheim. Klartext Press, ISBN 978-3-8375-0774-4
- Dr Ricke, Helmut (2012). Seaforms & Landscapes – Michael Behrens. Continuum Gallery
- Dr Ricke,Helmut (2012). Inspiration from the Deep Sea and Outer Space. Neues Glas, Issue 3, pp. 36–43
- Hampson, Ferdinand (2014). Studio Glass Evolving. American Art Collector, Issue 109, pp. 171–174
- Sikabonyi, Andre (2015). Seaforms & Landscapes, Vernissage, Issue 324, pp. 14–17
- Habatat Galleries (2015). The Creative Process – 43rd International Catalogue, Habatat Galleries
External links
References
- ↑ Website Artprize. "Michael Behrens", 2009, access date: 25 April 2016
- ↑ Website Michael Behrens. "Bio". 2016, access date: 25 April 2016
- ↑ Dr von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk,Dedo."Michael Behrens". The Burlinton Magazine, Issue 1275, Vol. 151, pp. 394/95, June 2009
- ↑ Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast. "GLASpekte – Künstler aus Nordrhein-Westfahlen in Dialog mit Arbeiten aus dem Glasmuseum Hentrich". Stiftung Museum Kunst Palast, 2010
- ↑ "Museum für Modernes Glas Öhringen". Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Elliott, Kate; Rogers, Michael; Jeff Wallin, Jeff. "E-Merge 2010 – A Showcase of Rising Talents in Kiln-Glass". Bullseye Glass, 2010
- ↑ LWL-Inudtsriemuseum. "Rotation SiO2 – 200 Jahre Glashütte Gernheim". Klartext Press, 2012, ISBN 978-3-8375-0774-4
- ↑ Dr Ricke, Helmut. "Seaforms & Landscapes – Michael Behrens". Continuum Gallery, 2012
- ↑ Dr Ricke,Helmut. "Inspiration from the Deep Sea and Outer Space". Neues Glas, Issue 3, pp. 36–43, 2012
- ↑ Dr Ricke,Helmut. "Inspiration from the Deep Sea and Outer Space". Neues Glas, Issue 3, pp. 36–43, 2012
- ↑ "Glass is more". Retrieved 26 April 2016.