Biography

Ekkehard Altenburger’s artistic foundation was forged in the rhythms of the natural world, growing up on a farm near the Swiss-German border. This early immersion in the cycles of the land and the physicality of rural life continues to inform his deep engagement with materiality and form. His formal training in sculpture began at the University of the Arts, Bremen, Germany, under the tutelage of figurative sculptor Waldemar Otto and the significant influence of conceptual artist Yuji Takeoka. An Erasmus scholarship took him to Edinburgh College of Art before he completed his MA at Chelsea College of Art and Design (University of the Arts, London) in 1999, where his practice was shaped by dialogues with Rose Finn-Kelcey and Rebecca Warren. Preceding his academic studies, Altenburger cultivated a rigorous understanding of structure and craft as a master mason at the Gothic Cathedral of Schwäbisch Gmünd in Southern Germany. In 2000, he established his studio at APT Studios in London, developing a successful international practice. Altenburger has shared his expertise extensively as a guest lecturer at institutions including Canterbury College of Art and Kingston University, and as a guest professor at his alma mater in Bremen and the Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, Finland. He has been awarded prestigious residencies at Sculpture Space in Utica, NY (2005) and a research residency at Saimaa UAS (2015). In 2017, Altenburger relocated to Hong Kong to serve as Assistant Professor of Sculpture at the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University. He moved to Tokyo in the summer of 2025, where he currently lives and works.

Research & Practice

Altenburger's work investigates the physical and conceptual balance of the built environment, drawing on architectural language and the inherent properties of sculptural material. This inquiry extends to the relationship between a form's mass and its surface, where he often employs texture and colour to manipulate perception and add narrative depth. An early and enduring influence is architecture, which prompted his move to London. A pivotal moment in this ongoing dialogue was a 2001 meeting with the late Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, whose work left a lasting impression. This research manifests in sculptures and large-scale placemaking projects held in public and private collections across mainland Europe, the UK, and Central America. Altenburger's current research evolves along two seemingly oppositional, yet intrinsically linked, trajectories: The first is a deep investment in material mastery and human craftsmanship, developed through extensive knowledge of Vietnamese lacquer techniques. Working from a studio in Hanoi, his focus here is on the slow, meticulous contribution of the hand in dialogue with ancient tradition. The second explores the frontiers of digital fabrication, employing parametric algorithms and robotics. This practice interrogates questions of time, duration, and the evolving role of the artist as a creator within an increasingly technological landscape. Together, these dual strands form a critical investigation into the very nature of making in the contemporary world.