Portrait of a sculptor

Recommendation of Jens Galschiot

Text from Bruun Rasmussen’s art-auction No. 94, 2004

(www.bruun-rasmussen.dk)

Jens Galschiot was born in 1954, in Frederikssund, he is married and has three children. Certificate as a construction blacksmith in 1978. He is a self taught silversmith and sculptor. He settled in Odense in 1973 and opened his 2000 m2 large studio in 1985, which contains a bronze foundry, a workshop, a gallery and a sculpture park.

Galschiot’s mode of expression mainly consists of naturalistic and organic forms, which are influenced by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, and the semi-occult stile from the Jugend period. In many of his sculptures ‘the void’ is as an essential part of the expression: for instance when he exhibits clothing sculptures (with the shape of the body, but void of the body), the viewers are encouraged to use their own imagination to fill in the emptiness, by using images from their own lives. If he succeeds in doing so the artist has achieved his goal: to make his sculptures and the human imagination work together.

Internationally, Galschiot could be characterized as one of the most significant Danish artists of late modernity (after 1980). His artistic production covers a wide field of expression; from jewellery and small dainty figures to gigantic, politically emphatic sculptures. He is among the best-known Danish artists abroad. His reputation extends from Hong Kong, and Mexico to Germany, Spain, and the U.S.A. Apart from clothing sculptures Jens Galschiot creates international happenings to highlight the present imbalance of the world. The first of it’s kind was ‘My Inner Beast’ from 1993, which was erected in 20 European cities, as a reminder to us all that Humanism is merely a thin coating disguising the potential brutality of our nature as human beings, and that it is a constant struggle to preserve and improve the results Humanism has achieved so far. Another example is ‘The Pillar of Shame’, which symbolizes the oppression of human rights; the first time it was erected was in Hong Kong in1997.

Galschiot’s fascination of garment objects led to a partnership with the late Erik Mortensen and Jean Voigt. In 1990 Galschiot created the ‘Ringwearer’s Jacket’. It was given to Her Majesty, Queen Margaret II on her 50^th birthday. The gift was ordered by the Garment Industry’s Organisation. The sculpture is now exhibited in the park of Marselisborg Castle, the Queen’s residence in Aarhus.

In connection with Hans Christian Andersen’s 200 years jubilee in 2005, Jens Galschiot has been requested to suggest a sculpture, in honour of Odense’s great storyteller. The artist has made a bronze model named: ‘The Storyteller’s Fountain’- a tenth of the size of the final work - which can be viewed at his workshop.