Bondage, 2024
"Stephan Marienfeld explores the boundaries of materiality and form, creating sculptures that provoke contemplation through their dynamic tension between control and freedom."
Stephan Marienfeld, born in 1966, is a German sculptor whose work examines the intersections of material, form, and perception. Trained as a stone sculptor and an assistant to Anthony Cragg, he has taught at the Freie Kunstakademie in Essen since 2003. His signature "Bondage" series and the vibrant "Dislikes" sculptures investigate contrasts between soft and hard forms, presenting works that challenge traditional notions of sculptural materiality. Marienfeld's practice spans mediums such as bronze, aluminum, concrete, and lacquered polyester, and his work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Venice Biennale.