Jörg Ridderbusch

In 1984, Jörg Ridderbusch (born in 1954 in Fürstenau, Lower Saxony) founded the metal construction company Ridderbusch Metal with several partners. It was a natural step for someone who had worked as a fitter and welder in mechanical engineering before going to Kenya to teach as part of development aid. A less obvious step came a few years ago, when he began making engaging metal sculptures from scrap iron and other discarded materials, including parts from scrapped cars.

He found a new challenge in fine art. Although this took him into a different field, his techniques and materials kept him close to his roots. Alongside steel fabrication, he now conjures up birds, mice and other animals on iron pedestals. Stair rails, for example, become thrones for kings and queens.

He adds emotion to a material often considered cold and lifeless, one that has already reached the end of its original life. He treats it playfully, combining it with colourful imaginary creatures that seem to have stepped out of fairy tales and legends. Old, oxidised iron contrasts sharply with vivid colour, making his artworks immediately striking and fascinating to many viewers.

Ridderbusch’s work is particularly suited to outdoor settings, both because of its scale and its ‘natural’ character: rust-brown iron alongside the fresh, cheerful colours of imaginary animals. In a garden or outdoor space, his sculptures become true focal points that repeatedly draw the eye.