Born: 1959 Munich, West Germany
Other name/s: Johannes von Stumm PPRSS
Biography
Sculptor Johannes von Stumm was born in Munich, West Germany (now Germany) in 1959. His artistic journey was deeply influenced by his upbringing in an alpine region, where he was surrounded by long winters, snow, ice, and rocks. This environment instilled in him a profound appreciation for the raw elements of nature. His fascination with steel is also particularly significant, as it ties to his family's history of blacksmithing and as owners of steel factories spanning 250 years. As a young man, he began experimenting with art by painting on cardboard in the cellar of his parents' house, incorporating broken glass and metal objects into his work. At the age of 16, a pivotal visit to Paris exposed him to Auguste Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais. This initial exposure to powerful body language and gestures in sculpture left a lasting impact, igniting his passion for figurative work. He later recalled: 'He moved me and he touched my soul and for the first time I thought that this might be a profession […]' (The Photowalk Podcast). At 18, von Stumm visited Florence, Italy where he was deeply inspired by the breathtaking beauty of Renaissance sculpture, which solidified his desire to become a sculptor. However, he faced considerable discouragement from an art teacher in Munich, who starkly highlighted the financial and personal challenges of an artistic career.
Undeterred, von Stumm initially pursued a law degree for three years before resolutely committing to his passion for art. His persistence was rewarded when, after two rejections, he gained admission to the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, graduating in 1989. There, he honed his sculpting skills in modelling, mould making, and working with diverse materials, combining glass, steel, and stone, despite his professors' initial scepticism about the feasibility of such pairings. From 1988–96, he trained as a glass blower at the Sommerakademie Bildwerk in Frauenau, and also worked at the Experimental Glass Workshop in New York. Von Stumm returned to Germany and taught at Bildwerk, Frauenau, from 1993–95, and in his Munich studio until 1995. During this time, he also served as an assistant to Michael Croissant, one of Germany's leading sculptors. In 1995, von Stumm moved to England, where he opened his studio in South Fawley, Oxfordshire. He collaborated with Neil Wilkin at his Hot Glass Studio and participated in workshops with Bertil Vallien and Tony Cragg. In 1997, von Stumm was made an international member of the Royal Society of Sculptors, joining its council in 2003 and, later, was elected President from 2009 to 2012. He has taught widely, conducted workshops, and completed numerous commissions, including being the lead artist for a project in The Vale of the White Horse, Wantage, in 2003.
Von Stumm is renowned for his innovative and daring combinations of materials such as iron, granite, and glass. His work, characterised by its abstract or reduced figurative forms, creates a striking harmony within these seemingly conflicting materials. His use of negative space and light captivates audiences, with sculptures that change character depending on the time of day and year. By combining the fluidity of glass, the wave patterns of stainless steel, the sharp edges of darkened bronze, and the roughness of granite, von Stumm showcases his exceptional craftsmanship and artistic vision. His sculptures, whether large and architectural or small and intricate, reflect his meticulous attention to detail and his unwavering commitment to his art. Von Stumm's work represents a continual evolution, pushing the boundaries of artistic expression by blending strong and fragile elements, the solid and the liquid, and the dark and the transparent. His sculptures aim to capture the transitory effects of light, transforming and dematerialising images in space. One of his early pieces, Reflection, a seated figure made entirely from glass, sought to achieve absolute purity, although technical limitations prevented him from scaling up the work. His Immaterial series marks a significant departure from earlier influences, such as the earthbound suffering of Rodin's figures and the intense manipulation of light and shade by Italian impressionist sculptor Medardo Rosso. In these works, von Stumm eliminates shadows to create figures that radiate light and achieve complete transparency, embodying purity in a spiritual sense that transcends vanity and cynicism. His fascination with various spiritual traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Shamanism, and Christianity, imbues his work with a rich, expansive wisdom that cannot be pinned down to a single interpretation. His figures often adopt recognisable postures with universal meanings, such as the Welcome Figure with open arms, the kneeling Offering figure, and the serene Immaterial Seated Figure.
His work has been exhibited extensively in Britain and abroad, including solo shows at Curwen Gallery, London from 1998. In 2024, the Oxford Festival of the Arts showcased his exhibition Lightshadow. In the UK public domain his work is represented in the Reading Museum; Kellogg College, University of Oxford, Paintings in Hospitals, and New Barn Place, Grove, Oxfordshire. He lives and works in Oxfordshire.
Related books
- Johannes Von Stumm: Sculpture for the Garden in Bronze, Stone & Glass, exhibition catalogue (Henley-on-Thame: Bohun Gallery, 2016)
- Johannes von Stumm, exhibition catalogue (London: Robert Bowman Modern, 2007)
- Johannes von Stumm, exhibition catalogue (London: Robert Bowman Modern, 2003)
- Johannes von Stumm, exhibition catalogue (London: Curwen Gallery, 2000)
- ‘Johannes von Stumm’, Country Life, 24 April 1997
Related organisations
- Academy of Fine Arts, Munich (student)
- Bild-Werk Frauenau (teacher)
- Royal Society of Sculptors (member, President)
Related web links
- Artist's website
- Contemporary Glass Society
- New College, University of Oxford
- Portrait: The Sculptor
- Royal Society of Sculptors
- Trish Lee,’ West Berkshire Sculptor Plays with Light Amid University Cloisters in Prestigious Festival Show’, Newbury Today, 3 July 2024
- 2019 Autumn Lecture: Johannes von Stumm, Surrey Sculpture Society
Selected exhibitions
- Lightshadow, Oxford Festival of the Arts, Oxford (2024)
- Galerie Different, London Art Fair, London (2023)
- The Barn, Manor House, Great Shefford, Berkshire (2023)
- Gallery Different, London (2023)
- Johannes von Stumm and Lucy Stopford, The Sewell Gallery, Radley, Oxford (2021)
- Escape Art Space, Tonbridge, Kent (2021)
- Cornerstone, Didcot, Oxfordshire (2020)
- Gallery Different, London (2020)
- Gallery Patrick Heide, London (2019)
- Tincleton Gallery, Dorset (2019)
- Gallery Hignell, London (2018)
- Curwen Gallery, London (2017)
- Thompson Gallery, London (2018)
- Hignell Gallery, Mayfair, London (2016)
- Thompson Gallery, London (2016)
- Minster Gallery, Winchester (2016)
- Johannes Von Stumm: Sculpture for the Garden in Bronze, Stone & Glass, Bohun Gallery, Henley-on-Thames, Berkshire (2016)
- Newbury Library, Newbury, Berkshire (2015)
- Oxford Art Society, Radley, Oxfordshire (2014)
- Bowman Sculpture, London (2014)
- Curwen Gallery, London (2004, 2000)
