Kauko Räsänen, Diagonal cube
The Finnish sculptor Kauko Räsänen (1926-2015) is most known for his medals and his large scale, often relief-shaped sculptures. He studied at the Fine Arts Academy of Finland and won his first prize at the age of 25, in 1951, for his design for the memorial medal for the Olympics in Helsinki. During the years he won several more prizes in various competitions and exhibitions, and in 1963 he was awarder the Pro Finlandia –medal.
Räsänen is often known as a renewing force in the art of medals – his sculptural medals are often more like three dimensional miniature sculptures than traditional coin-shaped versions. His large-scale work is even more sculptural and bold; he uses concave and convex shapes to create a dialogue between the empty space and the material in it.
His bronze sculpture in front of the municipal office building in Heinola, “Trio Diagonal”, was made in 1985 and with it’s 3,5m of height is an impressive piece. The fierce rhythm and speed together with the softening water element are typical for Räsänen’s fascination with the courageous breaking up and rebuilding of space.
The sculpture in the current auction, the Diagonal Cube, was a contender for the space in Heinola. The work is a smaller model of the intended piece that was never made in full scale. This work remained in the sculptor’s private collection.