Sculptor (1939-2011)

Born in Berlin in 1939, Dieter Finke took place in the early years of artistic expressiveness. From 1959 to 1965 he studied sculpture with Paul Dierkes and Renee Sintenis at the College of Fine Arts in Berlin. His creative use of materials and colour, form and space, he has since continuously extended and modified. His wood and bronze sculptures are reduced to the bare essentials. Especially in his delicate animal sculptures shape is indicated as completed, it remains a wider scope for the imagination of the viewer.

Finke lived and worked alternately in Berlin and New York. His enormous creativity was seen even before the paintings, drawings, objects and collage. So, an extensive oeuvre has arisen, which will be exhibited in famous galleries in Berlin, Hannover, Hamburg and New York. Dieter Finke died in 2011.

Designation for an art object (sculpture, installation), which is produced according to the will of the artist in multiple copies in a limited and numbered edition.

Artist's multiple contributed to "democratization" of art as the work was made available and affordable for a wider audience.

An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.

Bronze casting:

When casting bronze, artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. It's the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.

Sculpture "The Book Reader" by Ernst Barlachs is shown here as an example:

First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber composition. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is poured in the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax casting is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, and the wax flows out (lost mould).

Now we finally have the negative form, into which the 1400 ° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken off and the sculpture comes to light.

Now the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist himself or, to his specifications, by a specialist. Thus, each casting becomes an original work

For lower-grade bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used which, however, does not achieve the results of more complex lost wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.

Related links:
Sand casting