lars finderup

Born and raised in Denmark, my formative years were spent in beautiful natural surroundings, with beaches, meadows and woodlands all around. A visit at age 12 to Le Corbusier’s Notre Dame du Haut chapel in Ronchamp, France, made such a powerful impression that a path toward the world of art and design was inevitable. Architecture seemed like the logical choice of career.

With a Masters Degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in hand, adventure then called from the other side of the Atlantic. A new life began in the US, resulting in a thriving architectural practice for several decades. But there was always another voice that called as well, one of freedom from the constraints and regulations imposed by others, offering the opportunity to express a strong, authentic and unique vision. Eventually, I could no longer ignore this voice and chose a second path, this time focusing on independent three dimensional work on a more intimate human scale. In 2013, a deliberate pursuit of the skills required of a sculptor brought me to my teacher and mentor, Kevin Chambers, who gently and patiently allowed me to develop my own artistic channel, rooted in solid craftsmanship. His unwavering encouragement has been, and continues to be, invaluable.

I am exploring the boundary between figure and abstraction, real and imagined, sensuous and sharp.

Currently, my focus is on a series called Caress. It is defined by the concept of a caring hand gently tracing a portion of the human body. It is abstracted by removing nearly everything except the surface that is essential to the chosen gesture. A single thought that extends far beyond the visible limits.

Some vantage points offer a readily recognized, highly realistic, life size segment of the figure. As the orientation changes, the edges reveal deliberately chosen shapes and compositions. They take on a life of their own, only to eventually reinforce that life and give it back to the gesture.

I work primarily from a live figure, in clay and plaster. The original is then molded and cast to create the finished piece.