Erich Bödeker
(German, 1904–1971)
Biography
Erich Bödeker was a German sculptor associated with the so-called naïve art. His brightly painting wooden sculptures were evocative of African folk art and often depicted animals and nude figures. Born on April 11, 1904 in Recklinghausen, Germany, Bödeker grew up in a working-class family. For much of his life, he worked in a slaughterhouse and in coal mining, until contracting severe lung fibrosis at age 54. After his retirement, the artist pursued sculpture in his free time, primarily working with the media of wood and concrete. In 1961, he was discovered by director of the Museum of Reckinhausen, Thomas Grochowiak, who was the first to present his work in a public exhibition. The artist later gained critical attention, winning first prize in the first Triennial of Naïve Art in Bratislava, Slovakia. Bödeker died on February 21, 1971 in Recklinghausen, Germany. Today, his work is held in the collections of the Erich Bödeker Society for Naïve Art in Hanover and the Kunstmuseum Thurgau in Kartause Ittingen.
Erich Bödeker Artworks
Erich Bödeker
(65 results)
.jpg "Untitled (Sitting Figure), 1960")
.jpg "Adam & Eve (Couple), 1960")
.jpg "Pair of birds (rooster and hen), 1967")
English (US)
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