The Trojan Horse Myth - Spring 2007 Issue of Horses in Art Magazine

The Trojan Horse Myth

by Hans Krueger

Trojan Horse 1 – Solid bronze with gold patina, 7" tall, by Heinz Rupp.
Ever since he was a child, Heinz Rupp has been fascinated by the legend of the Trojan horse. The thought of warriors, hidden in a horse bastion of wood and metal, camouflaged by the Greek as a present to the Trojans, never ceased to intrigue him.

During his professional career, Heinz Rupp was a well-known jewelry designer. In his free time, he traded antiques and restored old watches and cabinets. For that he frequently disappeared into an old barn near his house in Keltern, Germany. His wife had no idea that in there he quietly transformed himself into a virtuosic sculptor.

Some artistic careers may take a long time to start, but once they do they suddenly unfold in a powerful creative explosion that astounds the public. The first person in Heinz Rupp’s life to be astounded was his wife, when one day she found a 6-foot high sculpture in their living room. Soon 19 more sculptures followed and the Rupps organized a first exhibition.

"I am just so very curious how the Trojan Horse might have worked, it literally drives me crazy sometimes when I think about it," Heinz Rupp admits, and creates neverending variations of horses, many of them combined with technical details such as cogwheels, which he also designs himself.

After initially using wood, Heinz Rupp now mainly creates laborious bronze sculptures. He starts by sketching on paper. Those sketches are the basis for a model, which then is cast in bronze. The whole process takes about two weeks.

His bronze horses are recognizable as such, but they are not entirely realistic, which is of course intentional. "I don’t want to reproduce nature, but to develop my own fantasy," Heinz Rupp says. His sculptures are modern, straight-lined and puristic in the classic context of ancient legends.

Since 2000, Heinz Rupp has exhibited his art in galleries and art shows in Germany, Luxembourg, France and Belgium. In these art shows, Gabriele Meyer, founder and President of ProRyders, otherwise known for importing exclusive European riding apparel, saw Heinz Rupp’s horse sculptures for the very first time, fell in love with them, and decided to feature them on proryders.com for the first time in North America. "His bronze sculptures immediately caught our eye, and we believe his objects are truly outstanding in their abstract beauty. They are unique and timeless, and will fit in every type of home, from traditional to modern," Gabriele Meyer says.

When talking to the Rupps, it quickly becomes obvious that Margit Rupp is the biggest fan of her husband’s work. "He knows how to work virtuously with all materials, and he knows how to convert them into a world of ideas." The Rupps have always had a hard time parting from their beloved objects. But their house and studio are so full of sculptures and a collection of objects and materials (Heinz is planning to use one day), they are literally forced to let some of them go. It’s easy to imagine that Margit Rupp’s biggest nightmare is the thought of having to move one day.

Despite all his success in recent years, which includes European art accolades such as the gold medal of the European Art and Culture Society in Baden-Baden (Germany) in 2002, Heinz Rupp has never changed. "He goes his way without looking at others," his wife says. "He does not need an expensive car to be happy. He is satisfied with what he does and he is drawing all his energy from within himself."

Heinz Rupp’s creativity is not even close to being exhausted. You just have to ask him about his new projects. But his great passion remains the classic big mystic and storied themes, such as the Trojan horse, which has been with him ever since he was a child.

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