Veit Korn

Hybris I is the first work in Veit Korn’s three-part sculpture series dedicated to the ancient concept of hubris—the human tendency to overreach and defy natural limits. Carved from freshwater limestone, the bust presents a strikingly defined head with sharp features and an intense, unyielding gaze. The figure appears like a relic from a lost civilization—raw, archaic, and hauntingly relevant.

In close dialogue with Hybris II and Hybris III, this piece explores the tension between power and vulnerability, ambition and mortality. It reflects humanity’s relentless desire to transcend itself—and the inevitable reckoning that follows. The artist has intentionally preserved the natural irregularities of the stone surface, selectively smoothing areas to heighten the contrast between refinement and rawness, control and chaos.

Hybris I is more than a portrait; it is a meditation on the paradoxes of human striving—a reminder of our yearning for meaning, and of our confrontation with impermanence.