Matthias Alfen

Matthias Alfen's artistic journey is deeply rooted in his family's creative legacy, beginning with his grandfather Klemens Alfen, an accomplished painter and photographer, and continuing through his parents, both master photographers. Growing up in Aschaffenburg, Germany, Matthias was surrounded by art and storytelling, which shaped his early understanding of composition, light, and narrative. From childhood woodcarvings and self-constructed gliders to sketchbooks and clay sculptures, he developed a hands-on, experimental approach to art, fostered by both nature and the creative atmosphere of his home.

After completing high school, Alfen honed his skills at the Master School for Stone Carvers in Aschaffenburg, followed by a formative education at the Berlin Art Academy (Hochschule der Künste). During this period, he cultivated a rigorous, independent practice that blended sculpture, figure studies, and abstract forms. His work received early recognition through solo exhibitions, government acquisitions, and critical acclaim from respected art critics.

In 1994, Alfen moved to the United States, where he continued to explore the human form, movement, and duality in sculpture, leading to groundbreaking series such as Menschenfossil and the Body Mobile sculptures. His work, noted for its dynamic interplay of positive and negative forms, mirror-surfaced finishes, and performative aspects, has been exhibited in prominent galleries and museums, including the Housatonic Museum of Art. This vision culminates in Man Rising, a monumental bronze standing 12 feet tall, weighing several tons — the largest bronze sculpture to date installed in the state of Connecticut.