What does the name Vogel beim Nestbau actually mean? It translates to “Bird Building a Nest”. This bronze sculpture before you embodies the contrasts that artist Walter Schelenz explored throughout his career.
The Vogel beim Nestbau Sculpture is north of Building B. Building B is home to the Institute of Geography on the University of Augsburg campus. Walter Schelenz created this artwork in 1976.
Observe the sculpture’s design. It features a hefty rectangular bronze form. Two small cylindrical supports hold it aloft. As you walk around the Vogel beim Nestbau Sculpture, note the symmetrical structure. The narrow and broad sides mirror each other. Identical bronze plates shape both.
Consider the relief-like texture of the large surfaces. Convex and angular ridges create this effect. These ridges intersect in a dynamic composition. They drift apart and recede asymmetrically. Some edges even appear broken.
Notice where the lines converge. An arch-shaped edge exists on the bronze body’s surface. This creates tension between angularity and curvature. The narrow sides reflect this interplay. Here, edges run at angles. They engage the space in sharp, rounded ways.
The Vogel beim Nestbau Sculpture captures contrasts. It plays with relief and three-dimensional form. It balances angular and curved edges. The sculpture juxtaposes flat planes and protruding ridges. Schelenz plays with heaviness and lightness. These aspects define Walter Schelenz’s artistic style.
Walter Schelenz was born in Karlsruhe in 1903. He died in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1987. He studied sculpture in Karlsruhe and Dresden. He worked as a freelance sculptor in Berlin until 1945. During the war, he was a technical draftsman for the Luftwaffe. After the war, he lived in the southern Black Forest. From 1955, he resided in Freiburg im Breisgau.
Initially, Schelenz worked in a figurative tradition. In the 1950s, he transitioned to non-representational art. By the late 1960s, he reintroduced natural forms. He included vegetative elements in his work. Yet, he retained a high degree of abstraction. He never abandoned the formal sensibility he had developed. The Vogel beim Nestbau Sculpture reflects this artistic journey. One of his famous works is a bronze memorial. It honors Nazi regime victims in Freiburg. It was created in 1975.
The Vogel beim Nestbau Sculpture invites interpretation. What does the bird building a nest symbolize? Perhaps it represents creation. Maybe it signifies home or new beginnings. It could be about nature and life’s constant construction. This sculpture offers a space for reflection. It is a place to consider the relationships between form and meaning. It asks us to find balance in contrasts. It is a testament to Schelenz’s vision.