Ernst Gamperl

Exhibited by Sarah Myerscough Gallery

Material Oak on steel base

Dimensions 104 × 13 × 16 cm

Place of Creation Germany

Price $20,000

Status Vetted

About the Work

This artwork is part of a wider collection called 'Urkraft'. Ernst turns the oak when it’s green and supple, to work in dialogue with the wood before arriving at a final shape; he is an expert in its drying properties and prophetically reads its movement as the sculpture finds its undulating form. The artist eschews uniformity and celebrates the imperfections present in the material, which tell the story of the tree’s momentous life and energy; the curved edges and bulges, the projections and indentations that emerge out of the natural deformation of the wood are an essential part of Ernst’s design.

The immanent expressive power of the material is underscored by Ernst’s treatment of the surfaces: waxing and polishing, scrubbing out the streaks or carving filigree parallel grooves like velvet, contrasting smooth and shiny areas with rough-hewn, deeply scarred sections. These enriching elements draw us ever closer to the piece; the profundity of the work lies in Ernst’s ability to mine the emotional resonance that lies within the wood.

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Provenance

Artist studio

Literature

'Ernst Gamperl: Urkraft' By (author) Ernst Gamperl, By (author) Frank Matthias Kammel, By (author) Antonia Boström, By (author) Michele De Lucchi, 2025