BraintowerAbout
Renaldo Badelka
Fitter, electrical engineer – and someone who thinks of the universe when he sees light.
Ing. Renaldo Badelka, born in 1960, lives and works in Bärnbach in western Styria, Austria. He trained as a machine fitter and graduated from the HTL Graz-Gösting technical college in electrical engineering. From 1975 to 2021 he worked for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
When new lighting technology emerged in the late 1980s, he began to design and build objects combining metal and glass. He has remained true to his idea of creating one-of-a-kind pieces with an individual design ever since. He pays particular attention to the play of light and shadow around each object.
He sees his work as functional art: the objects glow, they stand in the room, they are used – and they tell of the universe, of science fiction and of the allure of the unknown. For a long time art was his counterbalance to working life; since 2021 he has devoted himself to it entirely.
„I trained as a machine fitter, then studied electrical engineering. Perhaps it is no coincidence that my objects consist of exactly these two worlds: metal that you shape, and light that you guide.“
Workshop
In his own workshop in Bärnbach, steel up to 15 mm thick is plasma-cut, joined and ground. Then come glass – spheres, tubes, drops – and light: 12 V LEDs powered from the 230 V mains, and in some objects candles, UV light and fluorescent paints.
One of a kind, and commissions
„Each of my objects exists only once. I build them because I enjoy creating, not because I have to. When one of them finds a new home – with someone it moves – that is the finest confirmation for me and a drive for the next one. And if you bring an idea of your own: I am happy to take on commissions.“
Get in touchExhibitions (selection)
A selection – along with numerous other exhibitions and several commissions.
- 2023Parish hall of the Hundertwasser ChurchBärnbach · Solo exhibition
- 2013Kunstherbst am Demmerkogel (art autumn)Höch am Demmerkogel
- 2012Light | Glass | Steel | WoodKunstfabrik Bärnbach · with Johann Mandl
Light objects
All light objects →Braintower
Spacequalle