THE SILENCE OF TIME (LESSNESS): SOLO EXHIBITION OF PETER DEMETZ
Past exhibition
Overview
Impulse Gallery is proud to present Peter Demetz's first major exhibition in Switzerland from 30 March until 3 June. The exhibition, titled 'Die Stille der Zeit[losigkeit]‘, reflects the Italian wood sculptor’s long-standing fascination with time, silence, and timelessness. It features 19 new sculptures that have never been shown before, taking over the entire 450 sqm of the gallery.
Peter Demetz is best known for his incredibly realistic hand-carved sculptures of people, caught in contemplative, in-between moments. His scenes are like snippets of everyday life; suspended in a timeless universe and demarcated from reality through the silence and simplicity of the surrounding space. Demetz sculpts his subjects with stunning meticulousness, reproducing tiny folds in clothing, facial wrinkles, and individual strands of hair. Conversely, the figures’ minimalist surroundings are left open to interpretation. Using a few lines, block colours and, above all, theatrical lighting, the artist creates fictitious spaces. It is we who imbue them with meaning, who see them according to our own diverse experiences in the real world.
Peter Demetz is best known for his incredibly realistic hand-carved sculptures of people, caught in contemplative, in-between moments. His scenes are like snippets of everyday life; suspended in a timeless universe and demarcated from reality through the silence and simplicity of the surrounding space. Demetz sculpts his subjects with stunning meticulousness, reproducing tiny folds in clothing, facial wrinkles, and individual strands of hair. Conversely, the figures’ minimalist surroundings are left open to interpretation. Using a few lines, block colours and, above all, theatrical lighting, the artist creates fictitious spaces. It is we who imbue them with meaning, who see them according to our own diverse experiences in the real world.
The centrepiece of the exhibition, ‘Beyond the Corner’, is a scene composed of three people. In the foreground, two of them appear to be looking at a third, who in turn is looking towards an undefined place or dimension. The interpretation of the scene can be as rich and as individual as the viewers’ personal experiences. This work condenses the most important elements of Demetz’s work: perspective, colour, light and detail. The interplay of these elements forms a whole that invites the viewer to imagine themselves in the scenes, to identify with them and let their perception take effect.
Installation Views
Video
Works
Press
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Die Stille, in der wir uns hören können
Susanne Holz, Luzerner Zeitung, April 18, 2023 This link opens in a new tab. -
Impulse Gallery Is Hosting Italian Sculptor Peter Demetz's First Major Exhibition in Switzerland
Balasz Takac, Widewalls, March 30, 2023 -
Italian Sculptor Peter Demetz Holds First Major Exhibition in Switzerland
Arts & Collections, March 7, 2023 -
DIE STILLE DER ZEIT[LOSIGKEIT]
Mark Westall, FAD Magazine, March 5, 2023
