Jürgen Lingl reveals the soul of the lion, in a bust carved out with a chainsaw. Even though the sculpture remains more of a rough sketch, a living animal emerges from the wood.
Jürgen Lingl knows how to bring the gaze of a lion to life with accurate saw cuts.
Jürgen Lingl (full name: Jürgen Lingl-Rebetez) was born in 1971 in Bad Tölz, Bavaria. From an early age he was fascinated by drawing and painting. At the age of 20 he already had an exhibition of his works in a gallery in Dachau. After his military service he began an apprenticeship with master sculptor Hans-Joachim Seitfudem, where he received his classical training.
Lingl-Rebetez discovered that the chainsaw gave him the freedom to create forms with a rough, yet accurate technique. The tool also gave his artworks both a sketch-like and dynamic quality. His sculptures are more about the essence of his many animals than about their perfect design.
‘Feel the inner essence’
In an interview Lingl talked about his working method: ‘My goal is to capture the inner essence of my subjects. Whether it’s an animal or a human, I want the viewer to not only see the form, but also feel the soul. The chainsaw forces me to work quickly and intuitively. This allows me to capture energy and movement in my sculptures without being distracted by too many details.’
Jürgen Lingl and the soul of the lion.
Lingl has won several prizes, including the “Coup de Coeur Sculpture” in 2006 and the Paul Belmondo Sculpture prize in 2005. His work has been shown in various prestigious exhibitions and galleries throughout Europe, such as Leonhards Gallery, which can be found in Antwerp among other places. In the Netherlands he can count speed carving champion Dave Harmsworth among his admirers. He also likes to make animal figures, which he saws on the spot from dead trees with his chainsaws. This transforms them into a natural monument.
Lions made in series
According to Artprice, the prices for Lingl’s sold works at auctions vary, ranging from 1,200 to 11,500 dollars. The highest price paid for a work by Lingl-Rebetez so far is 11,561 dollars for a bust of a cheetah. On the sales site Artcatto prices are higher; up to 25,000 euros for a sitting panther.
He makes so many busts of lions that it almost starts to look like serial work. That carries the danger that his work becomes a ‘commissioned trick’. His accurate technique protects him from this. Each new lion is still a living animal again.
Text Jan Bom
