Peter Demetz

“Peter Demetz : People”

Peter Demetz belongs to the solid gardenese tradition of woodcraft and sculpture, but refers also to international models such as the pop art of Segal or the more recent Munoz. His portraits, however, always possess individual traits. He depicts common people, but certainly not an anonymous mass.

His people can be assimilated into sociological groups, though showing specific personalities. The middle class offers interesting hints at this regard. In any case, Demetz does not try to depict one-dimensional anonymity; in his work he rather studies character than a generic addition of personages.

His people are always in relation to something: an architectural space or another person, who they refer to. In some cases it is the doubled image in the mirror, an unequivocal symbol, which signals the possibility of self-representation.

The architectural space is disposed and organized into rooms for the figures, which animate them. The rooms into which people are placed have a dynamical effect on their relationships. The works of Demetz seem to be still frames of a serial, which needs to be discovered.

Another important aspect of these works is that the persons are also personages; they live in a theatrical dimension, almost without being aware of their state. In other words, Demetz puts them on stage. He organises a simple and formally well-structured theatre, where men and women try to find their place.

[...] Visible end perceivable relationships open the logic of every artistic work to the observer and invite him to participate at a narration, which always is just about to begin or has just been finished.

by Valerio Dehò

115 x 100 x 29 cm

Limewood, acrilic, LED

BIOGRAPHY

1969 Born in Bolzano ( Italy ), lives and works in Ortisei (BZ).

1983-84 Art school in Ortisei

1984-90 Apprenticeship at Heinrich Demetz’s workshop.

1993 Achievement of the diploma „maestro scultore“

1993-09 Participation at collective exhibitions in Ortisei (UNIKA), Milan, Vail/Colorado, Leipzig, Lichtenstein/Germany, Gent, Vienna, Florence, Lecce, Bolzano,Istanbul, Palma de Mallorca and Roma. Orders in Italy, Austria, Germany, USA and Iceland.

1995-02 Teacher at the vocational school in Ortisei and Selva Gardena. Subjects: drawing, history of art and sculpture.

1997-00 Chairman of the association „Artigianato Artistico Gardenese“ and of the UNIKA group.

1999-02 Courses in pedagogy, didactics, educational and developmental psychology.

since 2001 Lectures and seminars on wood sculpture as well as courses on working with wood and clay, drawing, design and anatomy; among others, for the design centre of the company Swarovski in Wattens (A), the LKJ-Sachsen in Leipzig, the Daetz-Centrum in Lichtenstein (Ger) and the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara

2002-06 Leading teacher of the course on wood sculpture of the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau, Department of Applied Arts Schneeberg, at the Daetz-Centrum in Lichtenstein (Germany)

AWARDS

2007 Honour award for the sculpture “dialogo” (dialogue) at the competition “Nova” held in the province of Bolzano

2007 1st prize at the competition for the 60th anniversary of the Bolzano fair for the work “padiglione 1” (hall 1)

2008 Honour award at the „Premio Arte“ of magazine "Arte"- Giorgio Mondadori, work: „the mirror“ 60 cm x 50 cm, 2008

2009 Honour award at the art competition “eroism – inier, ncuei, duman” held in the province of Bolzano,

for the work: “… hero …”, 70 cm x 60 cm, 2009

2010 Winner at the art competition "III Trienala Ladina" on the Museum Ladin in San Martino in Badia (Italy)

2010 1st prize at the art prize "Premio Arciere" of Sant' Antioco in Sardegna (Italy) for the work: "L'analfabeta", 45 x 37 cm

2010 1st prize at the international artprize "XXXVII Premio Sulmona ", in Sulmona (AQ),

for the work: "Remember", 60 x 49 cm, (catalogue)

2014 1st prize "Premio Pio Alferano" at the art prize "Murat è vivo" in Castellabate (SA),

for the work: "nelle strade di Pizzo", 85 x 100 cm, (catalogue)

EXHIBITIONS (selection)

2015 Milano, Spazioborgogno, "Visioni contemporanee Esperienze di confine tra realtà e immaginazione" by Alessandro Demma for IGAV from Torino.

Bologna, galleria ARTFORUM Contemporary, solo exhibition “Traversals”.

Bologna, Artefiera, galleria ARTFORUM Contemporary.

2014 Miami (USA), Art Miami Context, special project Hot Spot “the Exhibition”, by Marco Izzolino with the

gallery WHITE ROOM, Capri.

Miami, Art Miami Context, gallery WHITE ROOM ART SYSTEM. _Milano, gallery Dream Factory,solo exhibition „Peter Demetz - Reflections“.

Istanbul, CI Contemporary Istanbul, gallery ARTFORUM Contemporary.

Zurigo, Kunst Zürich, gallery Heitsch.

Munich (D), gallery Heitsch, “new masters”.

Capri (NA), Certosa di San Giacomo, “Visoni Contemporanee alla Certosa“, by Alessandro Demma for

IGAV from Torino.

Castellabate (SA), Castello dell'Abate, Premio Pio Alferano 2014, artprize "Murat è vivo",

by Vittorio Sgarbi and Santino Carta.

Capri, „l’isola dell’arte“, gallery WHITE ROOM ART SYSTEM. _Knokke (B), Piretti art gallery, "Hyper Realities.

New York, Scope Art Show 2014 with the gallery WHITE ROOM LIQUID ART SYSTEM. Bologna,

Artefiera with the gallery ARTFORUM Contemporary.

Catania, MacS (Museo Arte Contemporanea Sicilia), group exhibition "Ad Imaginem Suam" by Alberto Agazzani.

2013 Miami, Art Miami Context, Gallery WHITE ROOM ART SYSTEMS.

Istanbul, CI Contemporary Istanbul with the galleries ARTFORUM and White Room Art System.

Verona, Art Verona, Gallery ARTFORUM from Bologna.

Capri, Gallery White Room Capri, "Peter Demetz - looking beyond", by Marco Izzolino.

Bologna, Artefiera with the gallery ARTFORUM.

Wangen i.A. (D), gallery In der Badstube, "Bildskulpturen/Seelenlandschaften with Peter Demetz and Bruno Raetsch".

New York, Scope Art Show New York 2013 with the gallery WHITE ROOM ART SYSTEM

2012 Miami, Art Miami Context and Scope Miami with the gallery WHITE ROOM ART SYSTEM.

Den Haag (NL), EPO Building, "different similarities - somiglianze differenti", collective exhibition by Egon Dejori.

Bologna, gallery ARTFORUM, "Peter Demetz - Reflections", presented by the curator Beatrice Buscaroli.

ORF 2 (local austrian TV), "The artist Peter Demetz", TV news "Südtirol Heute". ( view the video )

2011 Rome: Palazzo Valentini, Sala Egon von Fürstenberg, solo exhibition, invitation by Presidente Nicola Zingaretti.

Trento, Palazzo Trentini, 54th Biennale of Venezia, Italian Pavillon - Regione Trentino-Alto Adige,

curated by Vittorio Sgarbi.

Pesaro: solo exhibition at the Hotel Alexander Museum

Dresden (D): teachers exhibition of the international summer accademy of Dresden in the "Motorenhalle",

by Susanne Altmann

Milano: Teatro Dal Verme, Projection of pictures from the works of Peter Demetz during the Festival "La Milanesiana"; curated by Elisabetta Sgarbi.

Egna (BZ): "Peter Demetz", solo exhibition at the Gallery of "Kunstforum Unterland".Introduduction: Heinrich Schwazer.

Chiusa (BZ): "Presence", solo exhibition at the city museum of Chiusa.

Brescia (I): "Peter Demetz - Willy Verginer - Bruno Walpoth", Galleria dell'Incisione

Bagnacavallo (RA): "temet nosce", solo exhibition with Robert Bosisio, by Adriana M. Soldini,

in the "Chiesa del Pio Suffragio"

2010 Bologna(I): "Intime Stanze", solo exhibition by Peter Demetz and Robert Bosisio, Galleria"Artforum"

Sulmona (I): "Premio Sulmona 2010",Exhibition of the invited artists for the international artprize

San Martino in Badia: "mirrored stories", Winners-exhibition of the art competition "III Trienala Ladina"

in the Museum Ladin, by Adam Budak

Salemi (Italy): "Contemplazioni", five solo exhibitions: Agostino Arrivabene, Nicola Samorì, Peter Demetz, Dino Valls and Grazia Cucco, in the Museo Civico di Salemi (Italy), by Vittorio Sgarbi

Ortisei: "light and space", solo-exhibiton at the Kreis für Kunst und Kultur in Ortisei (Italy)

Ortisei (I), "Arte a confronto", by G. Di Brindisi

Sardegna (Italy): Winners-exhibition of the Artprize "Premio Arciere" of Sant'Antioco, by Vittorio Sgarbi (catalogue)

Bologna(Italy): "materica", Exhibition for the new opening of the art gallery artforum (catalogue)

Spoleto (Italy): Personal exhibition in the Palazzo Pianciani at the Spoleto Festival 2010 , by Vittorio Sgarbi (catalogue)

2009 Halle: “HolzArt”, collective exhibition by Anke Bachmann

Prissian: Fahlburg,"LanaLive", UNIKA _ Ortisei: UNIKA 2009, collective exhibition

Munich ( Germany ): “Wooden Sculptures”, Gallery Andrea s Baumgartl

Bolzano: Galleria Prisma, exhibition of winners of the art competition “eroism – inier, ncuei, duman”

Bologna: “legno parlante”, Galleria Artforum, with Bruno Walpoth and Hubert Mussner

2008 Roma: Il Mitreo-Arte Contemporanea, “Segni di Confine”, curated by Maurizio Vanni

Sant’Agostino(FE): Oratorio, “nebenräume-gli spazi dell’io”, personal exhibition

Cento di Ferrara: Castello della Rocca,“nebenräume-gli spazi dell’io”, personal exhibition (catalogue)

Merseburg: 3th artfair

Milano: Palazzo della Permanente, exhibition of the art competition finalists “Premio Arte 2008”