Stefan Rinck (b. 1973, Germany) is a visual artist living and working in Berlin. He studied Art History and Philosophy at the Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken and Sculpture at the Academy of Arts in Karlsruhe. Stefan uses traditional tools and a direct carving technique to build his figures while sculpting materials such as sandstone, limestone, marble, and diabase. He is influenced by pop culture, video games, and comic books. He also draws inspiration from historical, mythological, religious, and folkloric themes. Thus, he constructs a universe filled with symbols and cultural features where characters, animals, monsters, and hybrid creatures coexist. Stefan uses allegoric ways to describe the collective perception of culture, while maintaining his own artistic language. His humorous expression contradicts with the materiality and rigidity of stone. The liberating nature of humor allows the viewer to access their unconscious.
