Anna Franziska Schwarzbach

Anna Franziska Schwarzbach (*1949, Rittersgrün, Saxony) is a German sculptor whose work engages with human experience, history, and memory. After studying at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, she has lived and worked in Berlin. Her sculptural language is expressive, yet marked by clear form and precise observation.

A distinctive aspect of her work is her deliberate turn toward iron – a material rarely chosen in contemporary sculpture. Schwarzbach is among the few artists who not only master the technical challenges of iron casting but also use the material’s own character as part of the artistic statement. Since the 1980s she has maintained a close relationship with the Lauchhammer Art Foundry, where several of her iron sculptures have been cast. The connection between artistic handwriting and material experience shapes many of her works, which often address existential, social, or historical themes.

In addition to free-standing sculpture, Schwarzbach is deeply involved in medal art. Her medals condense political and personal subjects into concise reliefs, remarkable for their modeling strength and narrative focus. Her works have received multiple awards and are represented in public collections in Berlin, Dresden, Freiberg, and Halle.