article In conversation with
Almuth Tebbenhoff
In conversation with
Almuth Tebbenhoff
In conversation with Almuth Tebbenhoff
about the beauty of working with her hands
and creating profound artworks from dull,
reluctant matter.
about the beauty of working with her hands
and creating profound artworks from dull,
reluctant matter.
In conversation with Almuth Tebbenhoff
about the beauty of working with her hands
and creating profound artworks from dull,
reluctant matter.
Almuth Tebbenhoff is a sculptor inspired by process, working mainly with steel and marble. Originally from northwest Germany, Almuth Tebbenhoff has been living and working in the UK for over five decades. She has been creating from her Southfields studio, a former church hall, since 1981.
Her practice includes working with stone, clay and steel, which she considers a privilege - these are materials which have formed and rested on the earth for millions of years, only to be excavated and shaped by temporary humans for their delight.
Her practice includes working with stone, clay and steel, which she considers a privilege - these are materials which have formed and rested on the earth for millions of years, only to be excavated and shaped by temporary humans for their delight.
Artiq When was the moment you realised you were going to be an artist?
Almuth When I was 10 we had to draw our houses at school and I remember that feeling of getting lost in the drawing, loving it, finding things I hadn’t noticed before and just looking and drawing. I then enjoyed getting praise for it too.
Artiq Who or what has had the most significant influence on your practice?
Almuth First of all, my art teacher at the grammar school, an unconventional woman who showed us pictures of modern art and encouraged us to mess around with colours. She taught me that I didn’t have to stay within the outlines, free gestures were allowed. Then, 15 years later, meeting Paolozzi who again encouraged me to follow my curiosity and not just make pots. He opened up the art world for me.
Almuth When I was 10 we had to draw our houses at school and I remember that feeling of getting lost in the drawing, loving it, finding things I hadn’t noticed before and just looking and drawing. I then enjoyed getting praise for it too.
Artiq Who or what has had the most significant influence on your practice?
Almuth First of all, my art teacher at the grammar school, an unconventional woman who showed us pictures of modern art and encouraged us to mess around with colours. She taught me that I didn’t have to stay within the outlines, free gestures were allowed. Then, 15 years later, meeting Paolozzi who again encouraged me to follow my curiosity and not just make pots. He opened up the art world for me.
Artiq What do you do to get over a creative block?
Almuth Two things: either I take a very large sheet of paper and take up as many pencils, pens brushes, crayons as I can cram into my fist and create bunches of lines that dance all over the paper until patterns emerge, or the hand gets guided from elsewhere.
Or, I throw a large lump of clay onto my workbench and work my hand into the material until it begins to form stuff from my head. I don’t mind if it is rubbish, it usually leads on to something. Sometimes I go for a walk and accept that I don’t really want to make anything, I just want to dream for a while. I don’t really get blocked.
Almuth Two things: either I take a very large sheet of paper and take up as many pencils, pens brushes, crayons as I can cram into my fist and create bunches of lines that dance all over the paper until patterns emerge, or the hand gets guided from elsewhere.
Or, I throw a large lump of clay onto my workbench and work my hand into the material until it begins to form stuff from my head. I don’t mind if it is rubbish, it usually leads on to something. Sometimes I go for a walk and accept that I don’t really want to make anything, I just want to dream for a while. I don’t really get blocked.
Artiq What do you want the audience to take away from your work?
Almuth I love the different materials that I work with: Clay, steel, marble, pencils and paper. There is a real sensual pleasure and joy in shaping, forming, stroking, cutting, gluing, hacking, squeezing, piercing my materials and I would like my audience to experience vicariously that love for material-even to go beyond it and see creative possibilities in their
own surroundings.
A lot of my steel sculptures are framing empty spaces, which are quite challenging for ‘materialists’ (like me). To feel comfortable with something that is essentially nothing will turn some people away but if you can stay with it, it is very rewarding.
Almuth I love the different materials that I work with: Clay, steel, marble, pencils and paper. There is a real sensual pleasure and joy in shaping, forming, stroking, cutting, gluing, hacking, squeezing, piercing my materials and I would like my audience to experience vicariously that love for material-even to go beyond it and see creative possibilities in their
own surroundings.
A lot of my steel sculptures are framing empty spaces, which are quite challenging for ‘materialists’ (like me). To feel comfortable with something that is essentially nothing will turn some people away but if you can stay with it, it is very rewarding.
