Marius
Ritiu

Contemporary Sculptor

↓

About me

Sculptor, storyteller, material alchemist

My practice questions concepts such as nationhood, borders and nationalism, reflecting on global responsibility, collective consciousness, and citizenship, and suggesting the potential for immensely varied human experiences to unite.

Instead of being celebrated, our differences are made into symbols and ideologies meant to divide; they are turned into borders. The perspective of those who've crossed a few is worth reflecting on and from, but it is the astronaut who is the true skeptic: no eye that looks down on Earth from space can see such perverse dividing lines. Now, this outlook invites radical revisionism.

I've been working a lot with copper, copper being the physical material that connects the world. Its incorporation into technology (communication, transport) has enabled and increased the mobility of ideas, goods, and people, impacting the nature and physicality of borders. It has become important to my work for both its physical and philosophical characteristics. In the classical world, alchemy associated seven metals with the planets (silver/Moon, mercury/Mercury, copper/Venus, gold/Sun, iron/Mars, tin/Jupiter, lead/Saturn). As one of these materials, copper has a direct association both with human history and the cosmos. I am using a technique called Repousse, which does not require a highly equipped studio; rather it is more of a nomadic technique that I can use wherever I go, well-suited to my nomadic lifestyle.

Read all

Selected Works

Stairway to Heaven II

2026 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, / 300 x 190 x 330 cm

Details

Stairway to Heaven II

2026 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, / 300 x 190 x 330 cm

In My boat is Bent, This Stairway Leads to Heaven and I Swing on Meteoric Dreams, Marius Ritiu constructs a speculative environment where gravity seems negotiable and matter remembers having been something else in a previous galaxy. At the center of the space stand three monumental sculptures in hand-hammered copper. They do not illustrate a story. They appear as if they have landed mid sentence. "Stariway to Heaven II" rises vertically, invoking the promise of ascension. A stairway, perhaps, though not one that obeys architectural logic. It climbs without asking permission from the floor, suggesting that heaven might simply be a change of frequency. The steps seem to dissolve as they rise, turning structure into vibration. In this universe, transcendence is engineered by hand. Photos by: Tijs Vervecken

Open work page

Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus part III)

2019 / Hand-hammered copper / 450 x 270 x 360 cm

Details

Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus part III)

2019 / Hand-hammered copper / 450 x 270 x 360 cm

Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus Part III) by Marius Ritiu is a monumental hand-hammered copper sculpture that transforms the familiar into the extraordinary. Suspended between the walls of a house and its boundary fence, the colossal meteor appears to have fallen from the heavens, becoming permanently lodged within the fabric of everyday life. Its richly textured copper surface, shaped through thousands of hammer blows, evokes both the violent energy of a celestial impact and the slow geological processes that define the life of a meteorite. The work draws upon the myth of Sisyphus, extending Ritiu's ongoing exploration of impossible burdens, perseverance, and the human condition. Here, the obstacle is no longer carried but has become an immovable presence—an unexpected cosmic interruption that alters the architecture around it. Balancing monumentality with poetic absurdity, Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus Part III) blurs the boundaries between myth and reality, inviting viewers to imagine a world where the universe collides with the domestic, and where the impossible quietly becomes part of everyday existence.

Open work page

Rock'n Roll (Sisyphus - part II)

2019 / Hand-hammered copper / 800 x 200 x 170 cm

Details

Rock'n Roll (Sisyphus - part II)

2019 / Hand-hammered copper / 800 x 200 x 170 cm

Rock'n Roll (Sisyphus Part II) was created during Marius Ritiu's fellowship at Socrates Sculpture Park in New York, where the artist continued his exploration of endurance, material transformation and humanity's relationship with the cosmos, with the fleeting passage of ʻOumuamua, the first observed interstellar object passing through our solar system, quietly echoing as an inspiration for thinking about wandering matter and deep-time journeys beyond planetary boundaries. Monumental in scale and hand-hammered from copper, the sculpture rises from the landscape like a solitary monolith or an upright meteorite, appearing as though it has emerged from deep geological time or fallen from distant space. Its rough, faceted surface preserves the visible evidence of thousands of hammer strikes, recording an extended process of labour that echoes the myth of Sisyphus, in which meaning is forged through persistence rather than arrival. Standing in dialogue with the skyline of Manhattan, Rock'n Roll (Sisyphus Part II) creates a compelling encounter between the primordial and the contemporary, contrasting the slow rhythms of material transformation with the rapid pace of the modern city. The title introduces a subtle playfulness, suggesting both physical movement and an irrepressible life force, while also alluding to the perpetual cycles of rolling, carrying and beginning again that define the Sisyphus series. Through its commanding presence and meticulously worked surface, the sculpture invites viewers to reflect on the shared forces that shape rocks, planets, cities and ourselves, proposing that the same energies of pressure, time and transformation resonate from the scale of the human hand to the vastness of the universe.

Open work page

I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus Part V)

2021 / Hand-hammered copper / 450 x 360 x 360 cm

Details

I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus Part V)

2021 / Hand-hammered copper / 450 x 360 x 360 cm

I Am a Glitch in the System is part of the Sisyphus series by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu, a body of contemporary sculptures that explores endurance, repetition and the quiet resilience embedded in human effort. Hand-hammered from copper, the work transforms an ancient material into a form that evokes both celestial matter and geological time, grounding cosmic references in physical weight, texture and process. The title introduces the notion of disruption, suggesting a moment of resistance within systems that appear immutable, where persistence itself becomes a subtle act of defiance. Drawing on the myth of Sisyphus, the sculpture reconsiders endless labour not as punishment alone but as a condition of existence, where each repeated gesture carries the potential for renewal and change. Every hammer mark remains visible, preserving the physical record of the artist's actions and emphasizing the dialogue between disciplined craftsmanship and the unpredictable behaviour of the material. Suspended between monument and artifact, the work invites viewers to reflect on the fragile balance between order and entropy, determination and uncertainty, proposing that even the smallest interruption can alter the course of a seemingly endless cycle.

Open work page

I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus V)

Somewhere Under the Sky

2023 / Hand-hammered copper, patina

Details

Somewhere Under the Sky

2023 / Hand-hammered copper, patina

Somewhere Under the Sky (Sisyphus Part VIII) is part of the Sisyphus series by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu, a body of contemporary sculptures that examines endurance, repetition and the search for meaning through material form. Hand-hammered in copper, the work bears the physical memory of its making, each mark recording a sustained dialogue between the artist and the material. Its title evokes both a specific place and an infinite horizon, suggesting that even within cycles of perpetual effort there exists a space for contemplation and wonder. The sculpture recalls a fragment of celestial matter, as though shaped by the immense pressures of geological and cosmic time, collapsing the distance between the earthly and the astronomical. Drawing on the myth of Sisyphus, the work shifts the narrative from futility towards perseverance, proposing that the act of carrying, building and beginning again is fundamental to the human condition. Somewhere Under the Sky was presented as part of the Finis Terrae exhibition, where it was installed in the garden of the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp. Situated beneath the open sky and within the historic surroundings of the cathedral, the work established a dialogue between the sacred, the terrestrial and the cosmic, inviting viewers to reflect on humanity's enduring place within an ever-expanding universe. Through the union of meticulous craftsmanship and cosmological imagination, the sculpture becomes both a monument to persistence and a quiet meditation on our shared existence beneath the same sky.

Open work page

Rockabye

2024 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, / 324 x 90 x 90 cm

Details

Rockabye

2024 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, / 324 x 90 x 90 cm

Rockabye is a contemporary functional sculpture by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu that explores material transformation, cosmic imagery and sculptural narrative through meticulous hand-crafted processes. Hand-hammered from copper, the work exists simultaneously as a sculpture and a fully functional swing, inviting viewers to engage with it not only through observation but through movement and experience. The gentle arc of swinging becomes a poetic gesture, echoing the cyclical rhythms of planetary orbits, tides and the perpetual motion that governs both human life and the cosmos. Its luminous copper surface, marked by countless hammer blows, preserves the memory of its making while reflecting light in ways that continually transform its appearance. Balancing utility with artistic expression, Rockabye dissolves the traditional boundaries between design and sculpture, proposing that functional objects can also be vessels for contemplation. The work evokes childhood, play and moments of quiet suspension, while its celestial references expand these intimate experiences into reflections on gravity, time and our place within the universe. Through the union of craftsmanship, material and movement, Rockabye becomes both an object to inhabit and a sculptural meditation on balance, transformation and the enduring human desire to find harmony between the earthly and the cosmic. Photos by: Tijs Vervecken

Open work page

Cosmic Stump

2022 / Hand hammered copper on dead tree trunk

Details

Cosmic Stump

2022 / Hand hammered copper on dead tree trunk

Cosmic Stump (2022) There are monuments that are planned for decades, and there are monuments that emerge from grief. Cosmic Stump began with a death. In 2020, Hadewych Hammenecker, the wife of Professor Willy Sansen passed away. Shortly afterwards, the tree she had loved most—a towering presence in the garden they had shared—also died. Whether by coincidence or by the strange logic of mourning, the loss of the tree seemed inseparable from the loss of the woman. What had once been a living witness to a life together became a silent remnant. Rather than remove it entirely, Sansen chose to preserve what remained. He cut the tree, leaving the stump rooted in the earth, and invited artist Marius Ritiu to transform it into a work of remembrance. The resulting sculpture does not conceal the tree’s death; it amplifies it. Hammered copper envelops the weathered stump like a second skin, neither restoration nor ornament, but a gesture of care. The material appears to have arrived from elsewhere—part meteorite, part geological formation, part cosmic relic. The rough bark dissolves into metallic topographies, as if the tree had begun a slow transformation into something beyond the botanical world. In this sense, Cosmic Stump is not a memorial to absence but to continuity. The tree remains rooted where it stood, while the copper records a passage from one state into another. Life becomes matter, matter becomes memory, memory becomes form. The work acquired an additional layer of meaning in 2025, when Professor Sansen himself passed away. As his family prepared to leave the house, they could not imagine abandoning the sculpture in the garden where its story had begun. Thanks to the care and commitment of his daughters—Katrien Sansen, Marjan Sansen, and Sara Sansen—the work found a new future. Through their efforts and generous donation, Cosmic Stump entered the collection of the Middelheim Museum in 2026, ensuring that a deeply personal act of remembrance would continue its life in the public realm. Today, the sculpture stands as a rare convergence of biography, landscape and transformation. It commemorates a beloved woman through the tree she cherished, honours the devotion of the man who sought to preserve her memory, and reminds us that endings are seldom absolute. Like a tree becoming copper, grief itself can change form—remaining present long after its original shape has disappeared. Photos by: Tijs Vervecken

Open work page

Event Horizon

2025 / Hand-hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, LED / 222 x 30 x 20 cm

Details

Event Horizon

2025 / Hand-hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax, LED / 222 x 30 x 20 cm

Event Horizon (2026) is a functional contemporary light sculpture by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu that explores the boundary between material presence and immaterial phenomena. Crafted in hand-hammered copper, the sculpture combines the warmth and permanence of metal with the ephemeral qualities of light, creating a dialogue between the tangible and the unseen. Borrowing its title from the astrophysical threshold surrounding a black hole, Event Horizon reflects on moments of transition, where matter, energy and perception converge at the limits of human understanding. The hammered copper surface records the physical gestures of its making, while the emitted light dissolves the object's solidity, suggesting a constant oscillation between emergence and disappearance. Rooted in both craftsmanship and cosmological inquiry, the work invites viewers to contemplate the vast scales of the universe through the intimacy of material, transforming light into a medium for reflection on time, gravity and our place within the cosmos.

Open work page

Meteoric Afterlife

2026 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax / 300 x 150 x 120 cm

Details

Meteoric Afterlife

2026 / Hand hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax / 300 x 150 x 120 cm

Meteoric Afterlife is a monumental contemporary sculpture by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu, exploring material transformation, cosmic imagery, and sculptural narrative through meticulously hand-crafted processes. Forged in hand hammered copper, the work investigates the dynamic relationship between material resistance, form, and sculptural presence, allowing the physical properties of the metal to shape both its structure and expressive character. Its expansive surface is animated by layers of hammered texture, deep patination, and exposed metallic highlights that evoke the weathered crust of a meteorite or the ancient skin of the earth itself. The title suggests a state of perpetual transformation, where celestial matter has survived impact and entered a new existence, inviting reflections on cycles of destruction, renewal, and permanence. As light moves across its richly worked surface, the sculpture reveals shifting tonalities and intricate details, emphasizing the dialogue between the artist's hand and the resilience of the material. Blurring the boundaries between abstraction and landscape, Meteoric Afterlife possesses a commanding architectural presence, drawing viewers into a contemplative encounter with deep time, the origins of matter, and the enduring power of craftsmanship. Through this monumental work, Ritiu transforms copper into a poetic monument that speaks equally of the cosmos and the earth, celebrating the expressive potential of forged metal as both material and metaphor.

Open work page

The Celestial Seat

2025 / Hand-hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax / 90 x 180 x 45 cm

Details

The Celestial Seat

2025 / Hand-hammered copper, patina, microcrystalline wax / 90 x 180 x 45 cm

The Celestial Seat is a functional contemporary sculpture by Antwerp-based artist Marius Ritiu, crafted in wood and hand-hammered copper and conceived as collectible functional art that seamlessly merges design with sculptural presence. Balancing utility and artistic expression, the work invites use while maintaining the contemplative qualities of a sculptural object. Its form draws inspiration from celestial geometries and the silent architecture of the cosmos, transforming the simple act of sitting into a moment of reflection and stillness. The warm copper surfaces, meticulously shaped by hand, carry the visible marks of their making, allowing process, labour and time to remain embedded within the material. These rhythmic hammer marks create a subtle topography that catches and reflects light, giving the sculpture a sense of constant transformation. The dialogue between the organic warmth of wood and the luminous permanence of copper reinforces the work's exploration of the relationship between nature, craftsmanship and the universe. By dissolving the traditional boundaries between furniture and sculpture, The Celestial Seat proposes that functional objects can also serve as poetic companions, inviting contemplation of our place within the larger cosmic landscape while remaining rooted in the intimacy of everyday life. Photos by Tijs Vervecken

Open work page

View all works

Recent Exhibitions

2026Felix Pakhuis/Objects With Narratives GalleryAntwerp, BEL

2026Maison BaillyVerbier, CH

2026Objects With Narratives GalleryBrugge

2026Night Shift, Dernier Cri GalleryNYC, US

2025Convergent Lines, Objects With Narratives GalleryGeneva, CH

2025Ontomateria, Verduyn GalleryWortegem - Potegem, BE

View all exhibitions

From the Studio

2 July 2026 · 2 min read

Cosmic Stump

Cosmic Stump is a memorial work that transforms a dead tree into a copper-clad vessel of memory.

2 July 2026 · 2 min read

A summer at Socrates Sculpture Park in NYC

A chance discovery of a 10-ton rock in Bushwick became the starting point for a summer-long outdoor process of hammering copper onto its surface, transforming it into an Oumuamua-inspired sculptural collision between cosmic impact, urban infrastructure, and the lived reality of public space.

Process · 20 June 2026 · 1 min read

Copper Remembers Every Blow

Why I work the metal by hand — and what the surface keeps from every strike.

Read the blog

MariusRitiu

Sculptor, storyteller, material alchemist

Stairway to Heaven II

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Highway to the Moon (Sisyphus part III)

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Rock'n Roll (Sisyphus - part II)

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

I Am a Glitch in the System (Sisyphus Part V)

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Somewhere Under the Sky

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Rockabye

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Cosmic Stump

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Event Horizon

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Meteoric Afterlife

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

The Celestial Seat

Interested in this work?

A bit about you

What should we send you?

Almost there

You're on the list

Spread the word

Cosmic Stump

A summer at Socrates Sculpture Park in NYC

Copper Remembers Every Blow

Notes from the studio

Marius
Ritiu