FR. HERMAN FALKE
Biography
Born in Holland 1928, ordination as Roman Catholic priest in1954. He received a BA in Philosophy, University of Western Ontario. Studied and graduated as an Art Specialist / Teaching Certificate in 1964 at the Ontario College of Art. He works in clay, wood, paper mâché and bronze.
Falke’s work participated in solo exhibitions with Ufundi Gallery; and group shows with the SSC at the John B. Aird and Columbus Centre Galleries since 1982. He conceived and organized “Art Credo”, St Joan of Arc Church, Toronto (1990-92); and the International Biennale, Ravenna Italy (1990-92) receiving award from the Italian Senate, IX Biennale Internazionale del Bronzetto Dantesco, Ravenne Italy, 1990. Commissions included four sets of Stations of the Cross for St Thomas More Church, Scarborough; St Rose of Lima, Scarborough; and St Paul’s, Burlington. Falke was elected into the Sculptors Society of Canada in 1980. His studio is based in Ottawa ON.
Art Statement
The six years I spent as a CUSO volunteer teacher in Uganda, Africa were a formative inspiration for my own art work. My sculptures are also influenced by German and Flemish Expressionism. Religious themes are my main inspirations – especially biblical scenes, crucifixes and Stations of the Cross.
“Sculptures of the Passion” is a difficult and uncomfortable theme. It must deal with two painful questions: “Does suffering make any sense?” and “Why did Christ, the Incarnation of God’s love undergo such a most humiliating execution?”
The approach of the Eastern Churches has always been to stress the Divinity of Christ; they portrayed Christ always in full control from manger to the cross. To me, in my Western culture, suffering and redemption make better sense in a fully human Jesus who accepts being victimized in utter vulnerability. In making this complete surrender, he indeed becomes the Incarnation of God’s love. In my art I want to touch the unconditional realness of his humanness, and I use the emotional impact of ordinariness, such nakedness, genuine pain, even impulsiveness of character.
