Impulse Gallery in Lucerne is to present Italian sculptor Peter Demetz’s first major exhibition in Switzerland. Titled ‘Die Stille der Zeit[losigkeit]’, translated as ‘The Silence of Time(lessness)’, the exhibition reflects the artist’s long-standing fascination with time, silence and timelessness. It features 19 sculptures, many of which have never been shown before, taking over the entire 450 square metres of the gallery.
Peter Demetz is best known for his incredibly realistic hand-carved wooden 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 people in my works have the important task of lending credibility to the scene. They invite us to follow them into their distraction-free world, where we remain, timeless and alone, observing
Peter Demetz
them and the space they are in. This space becomes our space, the silence in which we can listen to
ourselves. When time stands still, everything can be, because nothing can happen. A space without time is completely silent.
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.
We are honoured to present Peter Demetz’s first major exhibition in Switzerland and to highlight the uniqueness of his hand-carved sculptures that come to life at Impulse Gallery. We look forward to welcoming local and international visitors to explore the remarkable world of Peter Demetz.
Claudia Limacher, founder of Impulse Gallery,
Peter Demetz, Die Stille der Zeit[losigkeit], 30th March – 3rd June 2023, Impulse Gallery
Opening reception: Thursday 30th March, 18:00 – 21:00
About the artist
Considered one of the most interesting and established wood sculptors working today, Peter Demetz was born in Bolzano, Italy, and lives and works in Ortisei in the Dolomites. After his studies at the Ortisei Art Institute, Demetz began an apprenticeship under Maestro Heinich Demetz and earned his Master’s Degree in sculpture. Demetz has participated in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Italy, Austria, Germany, the United States, South Korea, Belgium, Netherlands and Turkey. Peter Demetz has won several art prizes, including the “Premio Sulmona” and the “Premio Pio Alferano”, both in Italy.
