Livia und Michael Kubach und Kropp
Works
Biography
Stone – Light – Sound
About the stone sculptures by Kubach & Kropp
Stone is formed deep within the earth, from
compressed sand or solidified lava. It is created
through a combination of temperature,
pressure and a lot of time. Volcanic eruptions,
natural erosion or earthquakes bring it to the
surface. Glaciers and flowing water carry it
over long distances and give it characteristic
shapes. Stone is the matter of our world, more
ancient than all life and it embodies the history
of the planet.
The origin and formation of stone through
archaic primal forces can often still be seen
in the sculptures of the artist couple Kubach
& Kropp. The original surfaces of the stones,
such as reddish-yellow crusts and natural sintering,
contrast with processed, highly polished
surfaces that allow a glimpse into the crystalline
depths of the stone.
Stone is often associated with strength, durability
and stability and it is considered a solid
and long-lasting material that can endure for
centuries, even millennia. Thus, the towering
monumental sculptures of the artist duo seem
capable to outlast all future ages. However,
this presumed stability is thoroughly shaken,
for example, by the Islands of Pillars. With a
push, the massive stone moves back and forth,
swaying in a sedate rhythm, producing surprisingly
clear and crystalline sounds through
the columns, the drilled cores that sway and
generate friction in their holes, each creating
its own unique tones.
Columns – we associate them with architecture
and antiquity. Temples, historical buildings,
and stone monuments are cultural heritage.
Stone has a long tradition not only in architecture
but also in sculpture. Michelangelo
is reported to have said that the sculpture
already exists within the stone and only needs
to be freed from it. This liberation occurs in
the works of Kubach & Kropp with technical
finesse,
using diamond-studded tools that
allow for a gentle way of working and high
degree of precision in the process. The works
of this artist couple are both sculptures in the
classical sense, created by subtracting material,
as well as through the additive process of
assembling the extracted core drills into new
works. We see this in the Stone Drops, Stones
for the Wind and Cocoons.
Stone usually feels cold and hard, which can be
used as a metaphor for emotions or personality
traits in certain contexts. The titles of the
works by the artist couple contradict these
associations, as can be seen with the aforementioned
Cocoons. But not only their naming
set us right, but also the observation of the
stones themselves: their rounded, organic
shape, the narrow openings on the surface
which offer a glimpse of light falling into the
depths as well as making the rough edges of
the granite core drills glimmer. It is like the
view into a cave, into a cocoon.
KUBACH-KROPP
Live and work together in Bad Münster am Stein (DE) since 1992.
1960 Michael Kropp born in Cologne (Autodidact)
1966 Livia Kubach born in Bad Münster am Stein (daughter of artists’ couple Kubach-Wilmsen
1987-94 Studies of sculpting at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf with Tony Cragg and Günther Uecker
Master class of Günther Uecker
Solo Exhibitions (Selection):
1992 Galerie Annelie Brusten, Wuppertal (DE)
1995 Galerie Regio, Freiburg i. Br. (DE)
1996 KUNST edition Waldherr, Kirchheimbolanden (DE)
Galerie Hennemann, Bonn (DE)
1997 Galerie Promotion des Arts Contemporains, Gesves (BE)
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
LINE ART Gent, Piretti Art Gallery (BE)
1998 Piretti Art Gallery, Knokke le Zoute (BE)
Galerie Kontraste, Pietrasanta (IT)
Galerie Moderne, Bad Zwischenahn (DE)
Galerie Regio, Freiburg i. Br. (DE)
Galerie Hennemann, Bonn (DE)
LINE ART Gent, Piretti Art Gallery (BE)
1999 Galerie Liebau, Fulda-Burghaun (DE)
Schlossparkmuseum und Römerhalle, Bad Kreuznach (DE)
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
Galerie Resy Muijsers, Tilburg (NL)
2000 Galerie Hennemann, Bad Homburg (DE)
Galerie Rosenkranz, Chemnitz (DE)
2001 CHIAROSCURO Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico (US)
Galerie Meissner, Hamburg (DE)
2002 Galerie Rosenkranz, Chemnitz (DE)
Galerie Liebau, Fulda-Burghaun (DE)
CHIAROSCURO Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona (US)
Fischer Fine Art, Mougins (FR)
Galerie Hrobsky, Wien (AT)
2003 Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden (DE)
Piretti Art Gallery, Knokke le Zoute (BE)
Fischer Fine Art, Mougins (FR)
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
2004 Orgel ART Museum, Windesheim (DE)
Galerie Melchior, Kassel (DE)
CHIAROSCURO Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico (US)
2005 ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Hennemann, Karlsruhe (DE)
Galerie Hrobsky, Wien (AT)
2006 Galerie Noack, Mönchengladbach (DE)
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
CHIAROSCURO Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico (US)
Galerie Noran, Panker (DE)
Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden (DE)
2007 Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul (KR)
Galerie Noran, Panker (DE)
Beddington Fine Art, Bargemon (FR)
2008 Galerie Hrobsky, Wien (AT)
Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden (DE)
Märkisches Museum Witten (DE)
2009 Galerie Liebau, Fulda-Burghaun (DE)
ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Janzen (DE)
Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
Galerie Janzen, Wuppertal (DE)
2010 Livia Kubach & Michael Kropp: Skulpturen und Gerd Winter: Malerei, Kunstagentur Karin Melchior, Kassel (DE)
Galerie Moderne, Bad Zwischenahn (DE)
Galeria Anquins, Reus (ES)
Draenert Orangerie, Immenstaad (DE)
Galerie Henze & Ketterer & Triebold, Riehen/Basel (CH)
Group Exhibitions (Selection):
1994 Kluvin Galleria, Heslinki (FI)
Autorengalerie München (DE)
1995 „Andere Orte“ Wuppertal (DE)
Bergische Kunstausstellung, Solingen (DE)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
1996 ART 96 Strasbourg, Galerie Regio (FR)
Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Neuwied (DE)
„Das Haus“ Galerie Moderne, Bad Zwischenahn (DE)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
1997 „Horizonte“ Kunst und Diakonie, Bad Säckingen (DE)
Museum für Sepulkralkultur, Kassel (DE)
Kunstverein Ludwigshafen (DE)
Landeszentralbank Mainz (DE)
Kunst Wien 97, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst (AT)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
1998 „Gefäße“ Galerie Moderne, Bad Zwischenahn (DE)
Carolinensaal Pirmasens (DE)
Galerie Resy Muijsers, Tilburg (NL)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
1999 RAI Art Fair, Amsterdam, Galerie Resy Muijsers (NL)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2000 RAI Art Fair, Amsterdam, Galerie Resy Muijsers (NL)
Institut für lippische Landespflege, Schwalenberg (DE)
Galerie Meissner, Hamburg (DE)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2001 RAI Art Fair, Amsterdam, Galerie Resy Muijsers (NL)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2002 E-Werk Hallen für Kunst, Freiburg i. Br. (DE)
ART Frankfurt, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
ART Vienna, Galerie Hrobsky (AT)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2003 „Horizonte“ Kunst und Diakonie, Bad Säckingen (DE)
Kunstmesse Zürich, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst (CH)
Galerie Resy Muijsers, Tilburg (NL)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2004 „Köpfe“ Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden (DE)
Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul (KR)
AAF Contemporary Art Fair New York, CHIAROSCURO Gallery (US)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2005 ART Frankfurt, Galerie Winter (DE)
ART Chicago, CHIAROSCURO Gallery (US)
Galerie Moderne, Bad Zwischenahn (DE)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2006 ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
Piretti Art Gallery, Knokke le Zoute (BE)
Galerie Liebau, Fulda-Burghaun (DE)
2007 ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
JOS ART, Amsterdam (NL)
Beddington Fine Art, Bargemon (FR)
Fine Art Cologne, Galerie Winter (DE)
ART Cologne Köln, Galerie Hennemann
2008 ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Hennemann (DE)
JOS ART, Amsterdam (NL)
Galeria Kröger, Ascona (CH)
Parkraum, Düren (DE)
Landesgartenschau, Bingen (DE)
2009 Bad Ragartz Skulpturenausstellung, Bad Ragaz (CH)
ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Hennemann, Galerie Winter (DE)
2010 Kunstmesse Düsseldorf, Galerie Janzen (DE)
ART Karlsruhe, Galerie Winter (DE)
KUNST Zürich, Galerie für Gegenwartskunst, Zürich-Bonstetten (CH)
ART Strasbourg, Galeria Anquins, Reus (FR)
Munich Contempo Art Fair, Galerie Winter (DE)
«Farbe Blau» Galerie Winter, Wiesbaden (DE)
SCULPTURA 2010, Beckingen (DE)
Beddington Fine Art, Bargemon (FR)
Piretti Art Gallery, Knokke le Zoute (BE)
Works in public collections (selection):
Steinskulpturenpark, Bad Münster am Stein (DE)
Golfclub Nahetal, Bad Münster am Stein (DE)
Kurpark Bad Münster am Stein (DE)
Schlossparkmuseum, Bad Kreuznach (DE)
Innenstadt, Bad Kreuznach (DE)
Diakonie Werkstätten, Bad Sobernheim (DE)
Kirche St. Martin, Biebelsheim (DE)
Orgelmuseum, Windesheim (DE)
Justizvollzugsanstalt, Rohrbach (DE)
Firma Gemünden, Ingelheim (DE)
Paulinenstift, Nastätten (DE)
Skulpturenweg Rheinland-Pfalz, Pirmasens (DE)
Kultusministerium, Mainz (DE)
Landeszentralbank, Mainz (DE)
Kirche St. Barbara, Recklinghausen (DE)
KOGAG, Solingen (DE)
Main-Taunus Kliniken, Bad Soden (DE)
Finanzamt, Landau (DE)
Artothek der Stadt Oldenburg (DE)
CHIAROSCURO Sculpturegarden, Santa Fe, New Mexico (US)
GENZYME corp. Boston, Massachusetts (US)
Museum Ritter, Waldenbuch (DE)
HERAEUS, Hanau (DE)
HILTI, Liechtenstein (LI)
Villa Burgeff, Hochheim (DE)
For further information: www.kubach-kropp.de
CV
Exhibitions
- Summer Exhibition 2024
- June 8, 2024 - September 15, 2024
- GMT Galerie Marc Triebold, Baselstrasse 88, CH-4125 Riehen / Basel
-
Siegfried Anzinger, Georg Baselitz, Georges Braque, Jürgen Brodwolf, Luciano Castelli, Bruno Ceccobelli, Marc Chagall, Martin Disler, Max Ernst, Amy Ernst, Konrad Felixmüller, Rainer Fetting, George Grosz, Erich Heckel, Hermann Hesse, Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige, Katsushika Hokusai, Karl Horst Hödicke, Alex Katz, Imao Keinen, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Dietrich Klinge, Livia und Michael Kubach und Kropp, Max Liebermann, Henri Matisse, Herbert Mehler, Helmut Middendorf, Henry Valentine Miller, Joan Miró, Emil Nolde, Claire Ochsner, A.R. Penck, Pablo Picasso, Gerhard Richter, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Kunichiko Toyohara, Lesser Ury, Raymond Emile Waydelich, Jan Wiegers, Bernd Zimmer
- My Heros I
- November 3, 2023 - May 31, 2024
-
Siegfried Anzinger, Georg Baselitz, Dario Basso, Domenico Bianchi, Fernando Botero, Jürgen Brodwolf, Luciano Castelli, Bruno Ceccobelli, Marc Chagall, Wladimirow Jawaschew, Christo, Bignia Corradini, Martin Disler, Max Ernst, Amy Ernst, Konrad Felixmüller, Rainer Fetting, Gabriele Lina Gabriel-Thieler, Giuseppe Gallo, Erich Heckel, Katsushika Hokusai, Thomas Hornemann, Karl Horst Hödicke, Horst Janssen, Anne Jud, Imao Keinen, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Dietrich Klinge, Livia und Michael Kubach und Kropp, Alfred Kubin, Henri Matisse, Bruce McLean, Herbert Mehler, Leopoldo Mendez, Mario Merz, Helmut Middendorf, Ivan Moscatelli, Edvard Munch, Claire Ochsner, A.R. Penck, Pablo Picasso, Piero Pizzi Cannella, Jaume Plensa, Christian Rohlfs, (Wolfgang Ludwig Cihlarz) Salomé, Hella Santarossa, Berthold Schepers, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, Paolo Serra, Dorothea Tanning, Ernesto Tatafiore, Marco Tirelli, Kunichiko Toyohara, Tomi Ungerer, Raymond Emile Waydelich, Jan Wiegers, Bernd Zimmer