He was initially undecided about his career, working as a circus clown and a singer until a job requiring his help in the completion of climbing angels convinced him he should become a sculptor.
After studying at the Danish Academy under Johannes Bjerg and Einar Utzon-Frank (1946–1950), his early sculptures included his monumental burnt clay Torso (1951) inspired by Aristide Maillol and his cement Moder Jord (Mother Earth, 1953) influenced in part by precolumbian sculpture.
The gigantic group sculpture of Mennesket ved havet (Men at Sea, (1994) near Esbjerg is inspired by Cycladic art and the figures on Easter Island.
Among his most important works are Menneskeridt (1959), the series Mennesker i forvandling (People in Transformation, 1963) and Jorden græder (The Earth Weeps, 1981).
His work as a decorator can be seen in Kastrup Church (1978), the central hospital in Herning and in Copenhagen's Royal Theatre with his aluminium Himmelrejsen (Heavenly Journey, 1989).