Erwin Wurm, Surrogates at Thaddaeus Ropac London
14 March - 13 April 2024
The exhibition Surrogates by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm at Thaddaeus Ropac London delves into the intriguing concept of garments serving as proxies for the human form. Wurm's work challenges conventional boundaries, blurring lines between subject and object, human and non-human, observer and participant. Through playful manipulation of sculptural elements such as dimensionality, mass, surface, and time, Wurm transforms the familiar into the unfamiliar.
A standout series within the exhibition features distorted high-heeled shoes, almost unrecognizable in their alteration. The exaggerated form of the heels, symbolizing social elevation, takes on an organic quality, suggesting a flesh-like transformation. Equally striking are the Substitutes, aluminum garments arranged as if draped over an absent body. These hollow figures, devoid of life yet evocative of human presence, offer a stark contrast to the inflated shoes of the Paradise series.
Alongside these new works, Wurm's One Minute Sculptures are showcased, epitomizing his inventive approach to participatory, time-based art. Surrogates ultimately transcends the ordinary, prompting viewers to reconsider their connection to everyday objects and the human body's relationship with the material world. It's a thought-provoking exhibition, inviting contemplation on the essence of identity and existence within the realm of contemporary art.
Installation view Surrogates, Ely House grand floor hallway, Mayfair London
Erwin Wurm, Dreamer, One Arm, 2024, Aluminium, paint
Erwin Wurm, Dreamer, 2024, Aluminium, paint
Erwin Wurm, Still Red Small (Substitutes), 2024, Aluminium, acrylic paint
Erwin Wurm, Mind Bubble Standing, 2024, Bronze, patina, 190 x 100 x 50 cm, Edition of 3, Mind Bubble Standing Small, 2024, Bronze, patina 120 x 60 x 32 cm
Installation view, permanent, abstract sculptural elements for each work, which remain present even when the sculpture is not activated by a participant.
Erwin Wurm, Be The Police (One Minute Sculptures), 2024, Bronze, acrylic paint, police cap
Ely House,
London
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