Michael Behrens plays with the idea of movement and balance in massive solid glass objects. Embodying decades of personal sensory experiences, Behrens’ sculptures appear almost naturally grown.

Deliberately random shapes line organic inner structures, velvet and transparent surfaces alternate, thereby creating a dynamic harmony of inside and outside. “I’ve always enjoyed nature, the sea, the underwater world – this made me start creating the Seaform series,” he says, “We are coming from nature and we will go to nature again. I want to stay aware of this moving cycle.”

Behrens began experimenting with melting glass in the early 2000s by adapting the ancient technique to create abstract objects. He finally founded his own casting studio because of the complexity of the working process. It took several years, using modern techniques and testing the limits of materials, until he was able to finish his objects in perfection.

 

The Seaform Series

Behrens’s has developed his exclusive and noteable style in his career. The Seaforms series embodies decades of his personal sensory experiences above and below water. The resulting works appear almost natural in nature, grown in the wild and then ossified, frozen in time.

The diverse color range and interior movement varies as if created organically by the environment while each shape and structure provide a strong and powerful appearance. The natural and random appearance of the artist’s works is created by the exterior form and the specific details: The fine modeling of the subareas and edges, the interplay of matt and polished surfaces as well as the cell-like structures emerging from fusing of the glass sections.

Over the years Michael has perfected his glass casting process and has become one of the most recognized German sculptors in his field. His creation process begins with the sculpturing of his models out of rigid foam. This detailed and critical process is followed by the mold making and then the arrangement of the glass in the mold. The melting and cooling process takes place in custom-built furnaces. The last step involves a sequence of sandblasting, grinding and polishing techniques bringing the objects to life.

 

Behrens about his work

“To me, nature is a meditative place where I can structure my thoughts and gain new energy. As a sculptor I perceive nature intensely. The sensual impressions I collect in my daily life and abroad while traveling are the key to my creativeness and form the basis of my work.

In order to provide the works with the expressiveness to reflect these impressions in all their facets, I am continuously exploring the relationship between outer shape and content. Almost in an evolutionary sense, old shapes transform and give way to a new sculptural language.

Thereby, the environmental context must be considered during the creative process, as with every sculptural object, the model and its surrounding are interrelated. But space does not only determine the impact of the work, the work rather determines the impact of the space and has the power to internalize it.”