Last updated: 26 October 2026
Jörg Gläscher is the Leipzig photographer and painter who built giant waves out of deadwood in a forest near Hamburg. Here you will find our take on his work, where it has been shown, and the signed prints and books you can buy from his studio.
Our take on Jörg Gläscher
In autumn 2020, as Germany braced for a second Covid wave, Gläscher started stacking fallen branches into waves. Between November 2020 and March 2021 he built nine of them near Hamburg, the largest four metres high and nine metres wide (about 13 x 30 ft), according to Colossal. He photographed each one, then took it apart to reuse the wood.
“I was working (with the idea of) the pure power of nature, the all-destroying force, which brings one of the richest countries in the world to a completely still stand,” he told Colossal.
The waves are only one strand. His long-term photo projects cover the German armed forces, Lutheran faith and, in Der Eid / The Oath, the separation of powers in 11 countries. The easiest way in is a signed print of C19/18 wave nr.5 from his own shop.
Jörg Gläscher: the essentials
- German painter, printmaker and photographer who lives and works in Leipzig, according to his own site.
- Trained as a photographer in Hamburg, then studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst (HGB) Leipzig under Timm Rautert.
- Has photographed for Stern, Die Zeit, ART and Geo.
- Der Eid / The Oath (Hartmann Books, 2021) was named one of the Best German Book Designs of 2022 by the Stiftung Buchkunst.
- Won silver at the Deutscher Fotobuchpreis in 2012 for Der Tod kommt später, vielleicht, and bronze in 2019 for the C19/diary magazines.
Jörg Gläscher exhibitions
- wood, waves and energy, Hartmann Projects, Stuttgart, 13 June to 1 August 2025.
- wood, waves and energy, Franckesche Stiftungen, Halle (Saale), 2025.
- wood, waves and energy, Deutsches Haus at NYU, New York, 6 June to 28 August 2024.
- wood, waves and energy, Stadtmuseum Paderborn, 26 August 2023 to 21 January 2024.
- He has not shown in the UK, and no new show has been announced.
Where to buy a Jörg Gläscher print
His own shop in Germany sells signed prints and books, priced in euros. We found no UK seller:
- C19/18 wave nr.5, €180: signed fine art print on Hahnemühle Baryta, 30 x 40 cm (11.8 x 15.7 in), from his shop.
- Twelve Waves / Zwölf Wellen with a signed print, €185: a layflat hardback of the wave photographs (Hartmann Books), sold with a 30 x 40 cm print, from his shop.
- Der Eid / The Oath with a signed print, €195: 208 pages and 115 images, sold with a 30 x 40 cm print, from his shop.
Jörg Gläscher FAQs
Where are Jörg Gläscher’s wooden waves?
They no longer exist. He built them near Hamburg between November 2020 and March 2021, photographed them, then took them apart to reuse the wood.
How big were the waves?
The largest was four metres high and nine metres wide, according to Colossal.
Can I buy a Jörg Gläscher print?
Yes. His own shop sells a signed print of C19/18 wave nr.5 for €180, and books with signed prints from €185.
Where is Jörg Gläscher based?
Leipzig, Germany.
More from CoolCuration
- Henry Moore at Kew Gardens review: big sculpture in a natural setting.
- Christo at Gagosian review: another artist whose works were built to be taken down.
- All Art Is Ecological: a short read on art and the natural world.
- Best affordable art in the UK: where to start collecting prints.
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Main image: Jörg Gläscher. Photo courtesy of the artist. Cropped and framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 26 October 2026.
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