Lee Sharrock travelled to Lucerne in Switzerland for the preview of Christian Bolt’s solo exhibition “On Human Beauty” at Impulse Gallery. “On Human Beauty” is Bolt’s most extensive exhibition to date, and takes over the 450sqm, high-ceilinged rooms of the gallery, a former auction house in the enchanting medieval lakeside city. Over 14 marble, bronze and wooden sculptures are accompanied by paintings and drawings, which merge references to classical antiquity with an exploration of abstraction.
A highlight of the exhibition is ‘Pomona’ (2023), an imposing 6-foot tall marble figure inspired by Rodin’s sculpture of the Roman goddess Pomona. Bolt translates the story of Pomona – one of deception and metamorphosis as a means of persuasion – into the sculpture through contrasting carving techniques. Bolt’s sculptural explorations of the human body transcend representation, delving deep into the human psyche.
Bolt’s artistic practice is informed by his philosophical and existential inquiries into the human condition and reflect on a quote by Austrian writer Karl Kraus: “Love and art do not embrace what is beautiful, but rather what is made beautiful by its embrace.” Many of the sculptures are masking their face, referring not only to human beauty but also to human angst, and it is this duality and internal dialogue that makes Bolt’s sculptures so intriguing.
Christian Bolt explains the influences and impetus behind his work: “I’m interested in the factors of what brings forth beauty. Generally, it’s a dialogue between figuration and abstraction. You see a very strong reference to the antique, to the classic, to Greek, to the Renaissance. So I believe that the Greek, Egyptian, Etruscan…all these ancient cultures – thought of something very important that abstraction and figuration needs to be balanced, and needs to come together. What we have done in our culture today, we have tried to separate it too strongly. And so, there is always a type of abstraction and idealization in the figuration.”
Whilst the artistic lineage of Bolt’s marble and bronze figurative sculptures can be traced back to the idealized perfection of Greek and Roman antiquity, via Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo, his imposing wooden busts nod to Baselitz in their primitivism, with the raw energy of the artist’s hand visible in the markings on the wood, and the scent of the Alpine forests imbued in the aroma of the oak.
The exhibition features several of Bolt’s signature marble “paintings”, created using a secret technique devised by the artist to create a way of painting using discarded marble dust from his studio.
Impulse Gallery founder Claudia Limacher explains: “We are thrilled to reveal the captivating works of Christian Bolt in the ‘On Human Beauty’ exhibition. Bolt’s exploration of the human image and his profound artistic techniques offer a thought-provoking experience that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on visitors.”
Christian Bolt was born in Uster, Switzerland in 1972, and studied at the Schule für Holzbildhauerei (college of wood carving) in Brienz at the age of 16, which was the start of a prolific career as an artist.After completing his studies he moved to Italy to study sculpting, art history, anatomy and philosophical aesthetics at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Carrara until 1999, his studies of Classicism and particular Renaissance humanism leading him to Florence, where he became a student of professor Antonio di Tommaso. He continued his studies in sculpture at Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, where he successfully completed a Master of Fine Arts, and in 2014 he became the first Swiss sculptor to be awarded the title of professor at Europe’s traditional and oldest art academy Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence. Highlights of his career have included solo and group exhibitions in Switzerland and abroad, including the Open12 in Venice, Art Cologne and Scope Basel.
Impulse Gallery was founded Claudia Limacher and Tim Zhuang in 2020 to represents both emerging and established artists from all over the world including the Netherlands, China, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and USA, among others. The gallery operates on an international level to share the works of its acclaimed artists with both aspiring and seasoned collectors from all walks of life.
Christian Bolt ‘On Human Beauty’ is at Impulse Gallery, Haldenstrasse 19, Lucerne, Switzerland until 23rd December 2023. impulsegallery.com
