About Artist

Triefeldt’s work typically explores the dynamic engagement between object and space in unexpected ways. His sculptures frequently feature kinetic elements in the form of moving components or integrated solar panels. His fascination with form and function started early, as he began tinkering with automobiles in high school, often seeking to make aesthetic improvements to items otherwise familiar and mundane. He then turned his attention to creating anthropomorphic machines, which incorporate repurposed industrial components and come to life using fire, condensation, or similar features. He later went on to produce a series of bronze kinetic works – Flyers – in which diving figures orbit on an axis.

For the past two decades, Triefeldt has focused on using sculpture to produce energy from the sun. The scale of his work has grown, often assuming monumental proportions in order to provide power for the installation site. Rather than humanlike forms, these works incorporate flora and fauna, drawn, when possible, from local species and history.

Teamwork is a consistent core element of Triefeldt’s work. He readily engages in the process that surrounds commissioning and shaping public art installations. He also enjoys working with Triefeldt Studios’ dedicated project manager to assemble the skilled team necessary to translate vision into reality – fabricators, engineers, and others – using local resources when possible.

Over the years, Triefeldt has collected a number of accolades, including a grant from the David Bermant Foundation, designation as a GMAC Cultural Ambassador in Nanjing, PRC, and an Award of Excellence from the Kinetic Art Organization.

Triefeldt is a member of the board of ERAF, an Estonian scholarship fund whose beneficiaries includes the founders of SKYPE and PlayTec. He is also a founding member of the Kinetic Art Association. He and his wife, Laurie, are avid cooks and gourmands and share a lovely Victorian house in Trenton, New Jersey, with a couple of well-indulged felines