Christoph Jakob – FOCUS.STONE

The Kurpark offers a very special exhibition space. With its large trees, expansive green areas, and lush floral splendor, it provides an excellent backdrop for a variety of artworks. Until the end of October 2025, stone sculptor Christoph Jakob is exhibiting over ten sculptures, as well as multi-part sculpture groups, showcasing a cross-section of his extensive work. The artist, who lives near Aschaffenburg, brings heavy materials into the Bad Mergentheim Kurpark. At selected locations, he presents stone sculptures that radiate tranquility and strength, inviting visitors to contemplate. A central characteristic of his stone works is the interplay of contrasts and the ongoing engagement between his creative will and the natural properties of the material. He seeks a harmonious balance between the inherent dynamics of his materials, primarily basalt and granite, and his careful artistic interventions, which are marked by great sensitivity and material knowledge. Thus, his abstract sculptures strongly rely on the surface properties and color characteristics, which are further shaped by the respective processing through grinding and cuts. It is precisely these traces of work that bring a strong graphic quality in the form of lines, holes, or color changes, further enhancing the degree of abstraction. Christoph Jakob approached his vocation in 1994 when, after graduating from high school, he gained his first sculptural experiences with local carvers in Sri Lanka. He then studied sculpture at the Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences in Alfter near Bonn. He successfully participated in several sculpture symposia, and in 2007, his works were awarded the Promotion Prize from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science, Research, and Art. He can now refer to several exhibitions and a number of works in public spaces. "I am showing a cross-section of my work, which also provides a representative overview of today's possibilities in sculptural practice. The Kurpark offers an ideal environment for the exhibition; the stone sculptures integrate wonderfully into the park," says the artist. Christoph Jakob often opts for a rather sparse treatment, allowing the character of the stone and its distinctive aesthetics to shine through. The completed work is a perfect synthesis of art and nature, geometry and stone form, the heaviness of the material and the light elegance of the processing. In a way, the artist makes it easy for the viewer to engage with the stone "beings." He reveals the objects to us by opening them up. He grants us insight and perspective. This requires a lot of craftsmanship and artistic energy from him. The visitors to the Kurpark have it easier: to get to know the sculptures, they only need the little energy of pleasurable viewing. The exhibition "HEAVY.FOCUS.STONE" in the inner Kurpark is free to visit and runs until the end of October 2025.