Paloma Varga Weisz
∗1966, Germany
lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany
The body of a man hung from the ceiling of the Sala Trenker exhibition space. The sculpture was created by Paloma Varga Weisz. At first sight, the artwork looked rather historical, probably because of the material used (wood) and the body’s joints. However, the artist found inspiration in a recent photograph of a climber in the Swiss Alps. The man hung helplessly — in the ropes, as it were, held by his harness. His joints were limp, like those of a life-sized puppet on strings. His expression seemed forlorn, with an aura of vulnerability. He was literally hanging in the air and was condemned to immobility. This hanging man is an example of the incredible precision in the craftsmanship and artistic language of Paloma Varga Weisz. Indeed, the artist sculpts her works with her own hands, something which is quite unusual these days, when most artists rely on a team of assistants. If her artworks appear medieval and fairytale-like, however, the artist is quick to warn us: “I hate the words ‘mythical’ or ‘fairytale-like, because none of my sculptures are. My inspiration comes from other sources, like newspapers or porn magazines, not from a fairytale.” The artist was also present in the exhibition with four cabinets and a series or watercolours. The slender cabinets, coming in an upright format, are entirely in keeping with the idea of the Wunderkammer (cabinet of wonders). The artist used old wardrobes for the purpose, which originally held treasures on its shelves and even in the doors. Now her wardrobes serve as work catalogues, in which her hand-carved wooden figures as well as other objects are placed to enter into a dialogue with each other. In contrast, the delicate watercolours also served as independent sketches, poetic comments on the artist’s universe.
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