Kurt Steger
My sculptures speak to the relationship between the natural world and human nature. They are constructed with traditional materials (wood, concrete, steel), and I often use impermanent elements in my process (ice, fire, erosion) that allude to the passage of time. The stain left by the fugitive materials is a reminder of the devastating imprint that humans have imposed on the environment. I was trained as a carpenter and woodworker, and value the beauty of fine craftsmanship and design. Working by hand, I combine knowledge and intuition, bridging the gap between mind and heart. My work has many influences, including Shamanism, Buddhism, Western psychology, and Japanese joinery. Beyond the physicality of the objects that I create, there are the invisible agents that speak to the soul, and my work addresses our need to reestablish this primal connection with nature.
ARTIST STATEMENT
BIOGRAPHY
Kurt Steger has been a carpenter, woodworker, and sculptor for over four decades. He brings a high level of craftsmanship, design, and ingenuity to his creations, which in turn express his concern for the environment and humanity. His work has many influences, from Shamanism to Buddhism to Western psychology. Steger’s accomplishments include an installation in Sacramento City Hall in Sacramento, CA, a traffic circle sculpture in Grass Valley, CA, and an interactive sculpture and healing ceremony conducted at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in Washington D.C., honoring the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. Steger's work is in private, public, and museum collections, and he received a NYFA Sculpture Grant in 2017. He teaches woodworking to adults, and recently started a woodworking program for children in which he emphasizes the importance of working with one’s hands. His current and most ambitious sculptural project is the creation of his home sculpture garden, including a studio that he designed and built.
Bluto, 2024. Wood, wire, 102" X 99" X 28"
Eclypso, 2024. Wood, concrete, twine, 121" X 65" X 14"
Intersection, 2024. Wood, stones, waxed twine, 61.5" X 23" X 28"