Kaspar Thomas Lenk

(German, 1933–2014)

Kaspar Thomas Lenk was a German sculptor and printmaker known primarily for his stacked sculptures. His works use bright, highly saturated colors contrasted against an industrial aesthetic such as polished steel or bronze. “Art as art must be absorbed in artistic thinking, comprehensively and practiced on a daily basis,” he once said about his approach. Lenk was born on June 15, 1933 in Berlin, Germany. He spent his childhood in Thuringia, Germany and later in Württemberg. In 1950, he briefly studied at Stuttgart Art Academy before instead training to become a stonemason, developing skills that he later used in his art. He made his first sculpture in 1952 and in 1954 established himself in as a free artist, though a year later一around the time he met his artist colleague Georg Karl Pfahler一he transitioned from figurative to abstract art. By 1964, he had begun to develop his trademark Schichtplastiken (stacked sculptures), which featured similar 2D and 3D shapes layered on top of one another. His prints used stacked motifs similar to those used in his sculptures, with the addition of vibrant colors used in contrast against industrial backgrounds. These works attracted international attention and acclaim, leading to his invitation to the 4.documenta in Kassel in 1968 and his position as a representative of the German pavilion alongside fellow artists Heinz Mack, Georg Karl Pfahler, and Günther Uecker at the Venice Biennale in 1970. His art was featured in several exhibitions and museums, including the Galerie Schlichtenmaier Stuttgart in Stuttgart and the Galerie Kai Erdmann in Hamburg, and he received many other distinguished honors in Europe. Lenk lived and worked near Schwäbisch Hall, where he later passed away on September 15, 2014.