Richard Dieterich

“The human form in its greatest simplicity has an inner strength, an inner spirit that I try to capture." 

 

The focus in my work is materials; I want the viewer to come away with the acknowledgment of the physicality of the raw materials. I use planes of steel to set my figures out in space. I fragment my figures to generate an energy within the voids. The fragmentation of the figure also reflects a sense of transience of the human condition. 

 

Taken from the Wabi Sabi teachings, I attempt to embrace the impermanence of the human condition. The beauty in imperfection. We are at our best when we accept and live life, rather than try to attain perfection. The materials I choose have felt the bite of age, the beauty of experience. My patinas are applied over a period of time, exposed to the elements, allowing nature to take its course. Through this process I try to capture the grace of life. “