Sebastian Steinboeck

Sebastian Steinböck (b. 1983, Dachau, Germany) is a sculptor, painter, and installation artist currently based in Munich and Memmingen. His work is grounded in geometric abstraction and aims to reveal hidden layers of our environment by deconstructing complex systems into smaller, comprehensible entities. Through this process, he promotes a deeper understanding of the interconnected cycles and transformations that shape our lives.

Steinböck’s practice is rooted in analytical research and an interdisciplinary process that includes statistical analysis, 3D drawings with CAD software, and the development of models and prototypes. He frequently uses upcycled wood sourced from second-hand materials for his graphic panels and sculptures—both to conserve resources and to define the dimensions of his work. His style is marked by minimalism and a purist, monochromatic aesthetic. A key element in his visual language is raw carbon, used in various forms: powdered, dissolved in transparent acrylic, and layered onto surfaces. This technique allows him to explore the depth and complexity of dark surfaces while embracing carbon’s visual and conceptual significance.

Scientifically driven, Steinböck’s approach explores carbon as a fundamental building block of complex structures—while also addressing its associations with climate change. His geometrically abstract works aim to render themes such as optimized structures and man-made emissions more visually accessible, moving beyond abstract data. He creates space for environmental reflection, prompting a critical examination of material relationships and the hidden structures within them.

His artistic evolution has followed a series of conceptual phases. Initially, he focused on Platonic solids and their modifications to better understand geometric relationships—manifesting in 2D graphics and hybrids between sculpture and furniture. The tetrahedron, often symbolic of transformation and stability, became a central motif in his investigations into systems theory and evolution. His fascination with linear aesthetics is also evident in thread-based "line drawings," where embroidered polyester thread reveals a contrast between the ordered front and the chaotic reverse side.

A more recent series centers on geodesic spheres that reference human-generated CO₂ emissions, with segmented spherical forms presented as wall-mounted panels or hybrid anamorphic sculptures. Since 2024, Steinböck has also developed a more experimental body of work titled carbonICE. This series seeks to express environmental change through unpredictable processes: frozen carbon in a water-acrylic mixture is exposed to sunlight, and the resulting melt patterns form dynamic, fluid structures that reflect the instability of climate systems.

Water’s increasing threat—especially in vulnerable coastal areas—has also become a focal point in Steinböck’s work. In one series, he explores the structural and symbolic role of concrete tetrapods, which resemble the nodes of tetrahedral forms and are used for coastal defense. Despite their protective function, their production contributes heavily to CO₂ emissions. His Flying Tetrapods series, made from trash bags and tape, questions the paradox of waste generated in the pursuit of protection. Parallel to this, Climate Pods, a series of delicate ultramarine blue structures built from upcycled wooden slats, simulates the outline of tetrapods. Evoking fragility and impermanence, these crystalline forms function as symbolic barriers, urging viewers to consider more sustainable responses to rising water levels and ecological risk.