Aron Demetz

Aron Demetz eschews classically elegant portrayals of the human body in cruder, often unsettling, life-size sculptures cast in wood and bronze. Although he employs many traditional wood carving techniques, Demetz largely forgoes smoothing or varnishing his works to convey their naturally rough and severe textures. The artist also experiments with his material, applying various natural processes to the wood. The haunted face of a bust from 2014, simply titled head, is completely charred. Demetz often incorporates mushrooms, wood shavings, or paint into his sculptures to counter their gravity. He studied wood carving in Val Gardena, Italy, a region famous for the craft tradition, and sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg. His work has been exhibited at the 53rd Venice Biennale and in galleries spanning Europe, Asia, and the United States.