The sculpture stands about 2.5 meters tall and weighs around three tons. It was carved from an exceptionally tough, greenish-shimmering granite, one of the hardest stones I’ve ever worked with. The material is rather brittle and prone to breaking, which meant the carving required the utmost focus.
Every strike, every cut had to be precise. But it’s precisely this kind of physical high-performance effort that gives the finished work its strength and presence.
Hard Rock! is a powerful, twisted volume raw, yet full of inner dynamism. Its surface is rhythmically textured, marked by chisel strokes and rough patterns that reveal the stone’s resistance. The lower section of the sculpture is completed with a polished spiral relief, the recurring motif in my work. My snails. Not just decorative, they carry the weight of the form and symbolize the principle of becoming.
The top of the sculpture features a small “sun hole.” Later, we tried to align the piece so that once a year, when the sun (hopefully) shines through the clouds over the Pampa, the upper part of the sculpture lights up. Hopefully, it worked, our millimeter-precise calculations should allow for a moment of light and magic. Unfortunately, we’ve never quite managed to catch that moment ourselves, but maybe some kind soul has been lucky.
The inspiration for this piece came not least from the landscape around Caransebeș, a region of almost archaic beauty. Since we were allowed a bit of freedom from the model due to the massive stone blocks not being precut to exact dimensions, I took full advantage of that opportunity.
One highlight was our group visit to a nearby medieval village with its cobblestone alleys, old farmhouses, and a deep, quiet history marked by hardship and poverty.
But it was also the people, the locals and my fellow artists, who made this stay unforgettable. Their warmth, curiosity about our work, and their openness made me feel genuinely welcome.
I especially remember the homemade Palinka, a traditional, strong fruit schnapps that was a part of every gathering and warmed not just the senses but also the spirit of connection. Just don’t enjoy too much of it. Ever. That said, it seems to be an essential ingredient for driving safely after a certain hour in Romania.
Hard Rock! is a work born from this entire experience, from the raw power of the material, the intense battle with good old granite, and from many scrapes and bruises all over.
Caransebes (Romania) 2014
