The Painter Elof Risebye. Double Portrait 1931 - 1932

Paul Kiærskou's bronze sculpture depicts the painter Elof Risebye, and it feels like an act of deep looking and profound empathy. The sculpture is built from tiny marks, each one a little world. Close up, the surface seems like a topographic map, craggy and furrowed. The light catches all these tiny movements of the hand, building into planes and volumes which are expressive and full of feeling. Look closely at the hands of the figure on the left, see how the fingers interlock. Kiærskou has captured a vulnerability in the positioning of the hands, and the subtle detailing of the knuckles and fingernails. The artist’s touch is so present, so attentive. The folds and creases in the clothing feel like they carry the weight of the world. I’m reminded of Rodin, who approached sculpture as a process of accumulation, of building up form from the smallest of gestures. Like Rodin, Kiærskou understands that art isn’t just about the finished product, it’s about the journey of its making.