Nuremberg to Canberra: Form Follows Fold

Posted on 29 August, 2019

Gilbert Riedelbauch was a young, newly graduated silversmith in Germany when a chance meeting with an Australian student set him on an unexpected career path to Canberra.

“I was living in Nuremberg when this student introduced me to the work of Johannes Kuhnen and the late Robert Foster in Canberra,” he explains.

“At the time, these makers were combining anodised aluminium with traditional silversmithing. This was exciting to me and I had to know more. So I moved to Canberra.”

Now, almost 30 years later, Gilbert is still in Canberra pursuing his passion for anodised aluminium, combining digital technologies with traditional metalworking techniques.

An award-winning maker and artist and an honorary senior lecturer at the ANU School of Art and Design, Gilbert has a string of international and national exhibitions to his name.

Canberrans now have the opportunity to see his latest exhibition of elegantly simple wall pieces in “Form Follows Fold”, currently at Craft ACT.

Gilbert Riedelbauch, 4 Star Silver, 2019. Composite aluminium panel. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

Gilbert’s precise and balanced work draws on geometry and trigonometric equations, turning his ideas into 3D works of art.

Seamlessly combining sharp angles and sweeping curves, many of the works are in bold black and red, and some are over a metre in size.

“I start the process with a manual sketch. When I put the line on paper I am not seeing the line, I am seeing the object, so there is already a dialogue between the maker and the final form.

“Then I make 3D cardboard models from the sketches, to identify any problems at an early stage. If I can build it as a cardboard model, I am almost certain that I can do it in the aluminium composite. Each work brings its own challenges and problems to solve.”

Gilbert Riedelbauch, Hash sml black/gold, 2019. Composite aluminium panel. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

Once Gilbert is satisfied with the final pattern, he uses graphics software to turn it into a digital file.

“I provide the file to a commercial fabricator who uses the pattern to cut the aluminium into separate components. It’s a form of collaboration that still allows me to maintain control of my original idea.”

Gilbert finishes creating the object manually, using his own bespoke tools. He meticulously folds and assembles the aluminium components from a 2D pattern into a 3D finished piece.

“What is new about this exhibition is that I am using separate components, instead of a single sheet of material. This allows me to use more than one colour in one piece, which provides a never-ending play on variations.

“Also, if a work is damaged, I can replace a component because they can be taken apart, which is impossible with traditional soldering methods. This is a new element of the work for me.”

Another advantage of applying digital technology is scalability, the opportunity to alter the size of the pieces.

“It has been suggested to me that some of these pieces could be translated into wearable works of art, including jewellery. The advantage of a digital file is that my work can be scaled to suit the object. This is something I can consider for future pieces.”

Gilbert Riedelbauch, Quad diagonal gloss red/black, 2019. Composite aluminium panel. Photo: Courtesy of the artist.

An intriguing element of the pieces in ‘Form Follows Fold’ is the use of symbols, some immediately visible and others waiting to be discovered.

“These forms are based on symbols and heritage. For example, one of my pieces is named Phi, based on a geometrical equation that is used for beauty and balance in the design of art.”

Gilbert’s commitment to perfection in the high-quality finish of each piece is reflected in the industrial appeal of these works.

“It’s important for me to maintain that industrial appearance, that perfect surface throughout the whole process, from fabrication to design and construction, and onto the gallery walls.”

Gilbert’s uniquely beautiful pieces will be on sale at Craft ACT until Saturday 31 August. See craftact.org.au for more information. 

Feature image: Gilbert Riedelbauch, Form Follows Fold, 2019. Photo: 5 Foot Photography.