Ilse Oelbers: stunning sculptures in bronze and wood

It’s impossible to completely grasp the bronze and wooden sculptures by Ilse Oelbers (1964) just from one viewpoint. The viewer is forced to slow down, examine the sculpture from up close, walk around it, and take it in once more. Only then does the sculpture reveal itself completely. This is exactly what makes her sculptures so very captivating. Oelbers usually portrays humans, but will sometimes make an exception, a notable example being the Friesian horse. Not every part of the sculpture is cast: certain elements are deliberately left out. In these empty spaces the background is allowed to blend in, forming an elaborate play of different perspectives. As a result of these techniques, the sculptures almost seem to breathe, seem ready to break free from their material and transform into a human being of flesh and blood. Pure beauty, hidden within their bronze and wooden materials.