I first met the English born artist
Cyril Lixenberg when he was installing a solo exhibition of his own small scale sculp-tures and related colorful prints. That 1984 show at the University of Michigan Museum of Art in Ann Arbor impressed me with its expressive range and depth reached with a limited visual vocabulary, consisting almost exclusively of basic geometric shapes: circles, squares and triangles.
Lixenberg has continued to develop a visually expressive and emotional language within his geometric constraints with remarkable range and subtlety. This artist/communicator is always articulate and precise. Surprisingly, his unique oeuvre is embedded with a gentle, hu-manizing sense of humor. Cold and aca-demic in lesser hands, primary geometric forms become highly expressive with Lixenberg, His recent work continues to extract organic surprises as can be seen in his recent monumental sculpture in Grand Rapids, Michigan entitled
Steel Water (2007). The impeccable craftsman in this artist insists on the highest standards of his art, always

remaining in complete control over the smallest détail. The remarkable resulting works of art are embedded with a seemingly effortless visuality. The Grand Valley State University Art Gallery is proud to possess an archival collection of his graphic art along with many small sculptures and one significant monumental commissioned work - Amaranth (2007) - a total of more than 300 works of art.
His new and innovative geometric point and counterpoint work infused with a playful organic quality has recently grown in exposure through a series of exhibitions and group shows throughout Europe and the United States. These new creations are eagerly anticipated by all who have been touched by this prolific, tireless artist - my colleague and friend, Cyril Lixenberg.

Henry Matthews, April 2010
Director of Galleries and Collections
Grand Valley State University, Allendale, Michigan
www.gvsu.edu/artgallery

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