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Lot Essay
'Most of Martin Honert's works have their source in memories that bring the artist back to his childhoodthe way he treats images from his past is thoroughly original. It follows from a radical artistic questioning of the way in which the continuity of our memory can be achieved and secured' (B. Groys, quoted in, B. Groys (ed.), Martin Honert, exh. cat., New York, Matthew Marks Gallery, n. p.).
Towering over three metres in height, Riesen (Giants) by Dusseldorfbased artist Martin Honert is a larger-than-life sculpture of two meticulously rendered human figures, appearing to be preparing or in the midst of a long journey or trek. Wearing contemporary clothing such as hoodies, jeans and flannel shirts, the two men appear like any would be hikers, yet they remain curiously mysterious: their size and scale, reaching over twice the size of any adult male creates a sense of uncanny wonder. In a paradoxical gesture, Honert employs the steadfast and robust medium of three dimensional sculpture to portray an ephemeral subject matter - memory. Inviting the viewer to experience the wonder of childhood fairytale, Honert turns to his own youthful memories as inspiration for his sculptures. His attention to detail, from the soft folds of their clothing to the painstakingly applied hair follicles, conversely obscure rather than reveal the story behind his creations. Another from the edition of Riesen was exhibited this year in the artist's major retrospective at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin.
Towering over three metres in height, Riesen (Giants) by Dusseldorfbased artist Martin Honert is a larger-than-life sculpture of two meticulously rendered human figures, appearing to be preparing or in the midst of a long journey or trek. Wearing contemporary clothing such as hoodies, jeans and flannel shirts, the two men appear like any would be hikers, yet they remain curiously mysterious: their size and scale, reaching over twice the size of any adult male creates a sense of uncanny wonder. In a paradoxical gesture, Honert employs the steadfast and robust medium of three dimensional sculpture to portray an ephemeral subject matter - memory. Inviting the viewer to experience the wonder of childhood fairytale, Honert turns to his own youthful memories as inspiration for his sculptures. His attention to detail, from the soft folds of their clothing to the painstakingly applied hair follicles, conversely obscure rather than reveal the story behind his creations. Another from the edition of Riesen was exhibited this year in the artist's major retrospective at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin.