Arnold Holzknecht
∗1960, Italy
lives and works in Ortisei, Italy
Arnold Holzknecht’s work is characterised by his particular sensitivity in dealing with predominantly organic materials. For him, these represent not only material but also energetic qualities. Arnold Holzknecht trained as a sculptor and then attended art academies in Florence and Munich. With a slow, almost meditative working method, he developed a sophisticated carving technique based on the local traditions of woodworking in Val Gardena, with which he creates works with a limited formal language, yet one steeped in poetry and intense expressiveness. For Biennale Gherdëina 9, Arnold Holzknecht has created two antithetical sculptural works: a white and a black wolf, as a representation of the opposing positions as regards the return of wolves to local forests. Both animals are made in the historical formal tradition of toy production in Val Gardena, and serve as seats for visitors at the entrance to Val d’Anna in Ortisei. Through their positioning in relation to each other and their playful exaggeration, the two wolves enter into dialogue with each other, reminding us that life in an ecosystem also means conversing with contrasting positions. In this way, the visitors’ interactions may be used to find possible new and experimental ways of renegotiating what might be considered irreconcilable differences with regard to the presence of wolves in the Alpine region.
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