Lot 20 | Tony Cragg | Curl

Constant innovative power
Tony Cragg is one of the defining voices in international sculpture. For over four decades, the German-British artist has been inspiring audiences with his unique formal language and impressive variety of materials. Born in Liverpool in 1949 and based in Germany since the late 1970s, Cragg has developed an encyclopaedic body of work that has gained worldwide recognition for its constant innovative power.
He first became known for his sculptural collages made from industrial found objects – since then, he has continuously expanded the field of sculpture. Whether wood, stone, steel, bronze, glass, fibreglass or plastic: Cragg transforms every material into compelling sculptural works, often created by stacking, layering and piling, which reach into the space as biomorphic sculptures like grown bodies. With international exhibitions – for example, documenta 7 and 8 in Kassel, the biennials in Venice, São Paulo and Sydney – numerous awards – including the coveted Turner Prize – and many years as a professor and rector at the Düsseldorf Art Academy, Tony Cragg has had a decisive influence on contemporary sculpture. His works are now represented in renowned museums and collections around the globe, and important outdoor works shape the appearance of numerous cities. In Wuppertal, where he lives and works, he founded the Waldfrieden Sculpture Park in 2008 – a place that brings his artistic vision to life in an impressive way.

"Curl" – curved elegance of design
Movement plays an important role in Tony Cragg's oeuvre – the sculptural forms appear vital, as if they were captured in a moment of becoming or change. These works are not only to be understood as objects, but in a certain sense as living processes. This is particularly impressive in the use of curved or spiral-like structures, which lend his works a flowing rhythm and a dynamic, almost dance-like quality.
The sculpture "Curl" from 2024 is made of amber-coloured glass – a material that is extremely challenging to work with. The title of the work refers to the curved lines of the glass structure, which are reminiscent of the natural movement of curls or tendrils and unfold into the space like organic spirals. The transparent material, permeated by the changing incidence of light, also creates a flowing, boundless connection between space and sculpture, allowing a second, imaginary world beyond the material to shine through.
Like few other contemporary artists, Tony Cragg succeeds in adding ever new facets to the sheer infinite richness of the world. With each work, he reinvents reality – surprising and haunting, full of grace and subtle sensuality.
Doris Hansmann