Somewhere between blacksmith and artist: Emmanuel Kieffer
Emmanuel loves nature and life. After 20 years as a blacksmith, he decided to live his life as an artist. He says: “I am rich, rich because I live where I choose to live, as I always wanted, rich to practice a profession I enjoy, with such freedom. This seems to be an adventure without end! “
Of Alsatian extraction, Emmanuel was born in 1961 near Paris. As a descendant of a family of blacksmiths through his father, and of ironworkers and locksmiths through his mother, he feels it is natural to be working in ironmongery as the craft is in his blood. He says “it’s genetic”.
His most lively childhood memories are related to nature and animals. He spent his holidays in Scout camps, where his father used to organise ironwork training in the middle of the woods. This atmosphere linked to the camaraderie of group life, is engraved in his memory.
According to his father, the love and the respect of work, of people and of nature, were the most important things to teach. He used to recommend “the real and loyal confrontation with the raw material, in order to fulfil oneself through self-control and the creative process, producing a sense of joy no one could ever take away.”
It is his passion for horses that pushed Emmanuel to become a blacksmith. He studied for four years at the Royal Blacksmith School in Brussels, worked in different places and became his own boss in 1985. His job is his passion. He takes part in international competitions, training, fairs and conferences, always trying to assess how far he still needs to go in order to improve. It was important for him to become a good blacksmith before giving his creativity free rein.
He taught for a year in a professional school, but realized that he was much too fond of independence and freedom to submit to a set routine and to administrative procedures.
The technique of farrier is very thorough and he used it to create different utilitarian objects such as tools, candlesticks, lamps and furniture… until the day he discovered the sculptor CESAR and his creations. He realised that this is what he wanted to do: to sculpt! A new way opened up for him. “But sculpture is static, it has no practical application. It only becomes alive through the personal touch of its author.” Because he never trained as an artist, Emmanuel was worried that he might not be able to transmit life to the metal he worked on.
His first creative efforts were tentative. There was a long gestation. However, he wanted to succeed, so he struggled hard to forge what he liked, what he saw, intuitively, letting his senses guide his gesture. His confidence grew. His freedom to express himself developed as he pursued the enjoyment of his work: He sculpts love.
His techniques changed. From a purist perspective of ironmongery which implies no soldering nor brazing, he now allows himself to mould and form this wonderful malleable material as he deems fit. In this he finds an easier and freer means of expression resulting in fluid and pure lines.
Four of his artworks have been awarded prizes.
Emmanuel lives in a beautiful part of France where nature remains preserved and wild. He rides on horseback across the mountains with his children. He will always love nature and horses!
He built a showroom next to his workshop where customers seek original gifts or souvenirs. He still keeps a few customers as a farrier: “It’s for the pleasure of body-to-body with the animals” to which he dedicated his life.
Patrick HERDY
HEPHAISTOS Octobre 2006
Revue des artistes du métal .