A spotlight on Metzel's 'From the TV to the Fridge (blurry)'

Once you see a light metal artwork resembling a giant crumpled paper, you can immediately attribute it to the German sculptor Olaf Metzel (*1952 in Berlin).

Based in Munich, Metzel teaches as a professor of sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts. Since the 1980ies he caused a lot of sensation with extensive public sculptures as well as installations alluding to political and social topics.

A new series of works emerged in 2010 when Metzel started to use aluminum sheets. By printing on both sides of the metal and folding the sensitive surface by hand, he created complex wall sculptures that had the visual lightness of crushed paper while still containing the strength of its material.

From the TV to the Fridge (blurry) (150 x 95 x 70 cm) is one of his new artworks that embodies the same effect and recognition value. However, unlike the previous wall pieces, this one is installed on a marble base. The free-standing sculpture depicts a women upside down with an astonished expression.

The images for his aluminum works are often taken from magazines, literature, posters and photographs. Metzel usually works on certain topics for years. Also the series From the TV to the Fridge started in 2015 and is still ongoing. The title refers to his idea that looking into the fridge can be more exciting than watching TV. A fridge only shows facts and leaves no room for interpretations.

In this particular artwork he decided to use a shot from a movie scene that he was watching in the USA, a close up of a blond actress with big eyes and red lips. It perfectly fits in the group exhibition FRAUENZIMMER (women) - on view at Galerie Klüser until July 29th 2017.