Regardless of the material or the techniques he employs, the sculptures of Albert Hettinger
radiate an unmistakable grace and meditative, Zen-like stillness. The artist’s experiences in
Japan plainly enriched his form-language, but its underlying aesthetic was present from the
very start of his career. Whether he works in basalt, granite or steel, the sense of balance
and harmony is constant, expressed in ground-hugging forms, in richly modulated reliefs, in
steles that seem to bridge earth and sky, or in installations that display an airy lightness. In
his most characteristic sculptures, Hettinger seems to peel away superfluous layers to reveal
the unexpected beauty concealed within. Often he leaves sections of the finished piece in a
raw state, revealing even the boreholes through which an ancient material was wrested from
the quarry. This primordial quality is both emphasized and complemented by the elegant,
mirror-like surfaces that adjoin.
Hettinger’s exquisitely crafted works comprise an oeuvre of great authority and of a beauty
at once touching and timeless.
David Galloway / Curator 2016
We were fascinated by these lines; like an original piece of nature suddenly coming to life,
nature‘s birth written by the poetry and the hammer of Albert. One can feel the perfection,
look at it, receive it into his or her soul... and the trip begins.
Poppy Salinger Poppy and Pierre Salinger Foundation - France 2016
The execution of the work becomes a dissection, a peeling process achieving the most diverse
lines and edges that lead to a complete transformation of the surface. The stone has, like a
butterfly, left behind the larval state and now reveals itself in new-found beauty and affectivity.
Beate Reifenscheid Director, Ludwig Museum Koblenz