Martin Disler
Martin Disler Steinzeug und gebrannte Erde
16 Sep—5 Nov 2016

Martin Disler Steinzeug und gebrannte Erde

16 Sep—5 Nov 2016
Buchmann Box
Press release

Buchmann Galerie is delighted to announce a solo exhibition of ceramic works by Martin Disler (1949, Seewen – 1996, Geneva). 

 

Until his early death at the age of 47, Martin Disler was an irrepressible creator of superpersonal visual worlds. Besides extensive production of paintings, graphic artworks and drawings, he made compelling, highly expressive sculptures through a fargoing exploration of the material used in each case.

 

The pieces shown in the Buchmann Box come from the work group Steinzeug und gebrannte Erde (Stoneware and Terracotta), which comprises primarily three-dimensional heads. The terracotta sculptures are often hollow vessels, some of them thrown on the potter’s wheel, some freely constructed. 

 

The head characterizing these sculptures is the bearer of diverse expression, merging together with other body parts and the vase-like form. Several heads blend into one sculpture as if connected to each other, and human physiognomies mix with the animal. 

Friedrich Meschede writes in this context: “The forms are all in warm, earthen clay and maintain a basic disposition toward the physiognomic, (....) the model is always a figure, although its expression is rarely human.”

Most of the sculptures have one or more double faces like the Head of Janus, so adopting a plastic form viewers have found fascinating since antiquity. 

 

Thus, Martin Disler’s central themes become visible in the sculptures: they deal with sexuality, violence and the inevitability of death. This “conditio humaine” pervades his entire oeuvre. But the group of ceramic works possess an additional lightness, a playful joy in creation – whose origin can be found in the specific materiality. Clay offers the possibility of direct expression, which corresponded to Disler’s spirited nature as an artist. The hollow constructed sculptures are vitalized by inner distension, as if further expanding could explode their boundaries to the world. Solid, and yet with the elegance and charm of a sketch, the terracotta sculptures evidence creative will, an existential will. They unfold a life that is constantly recreating itself, adopting new forms.

 

Buchman Galerie has represented Martin Disler’s estate since 2013.

Martin Disler

Martin Disler

born 1949 in Seewen/CH, died 1996 in Geneva.

Solo Exhibitions

2022
2019
2018
2017
2016
2014
2013
2007
2006
2005
2004
2001
1999
1998
1997
1994
1993
1992
1990
1989
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1978
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970

Group Exhibitions

2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2016
2015
2006
2005
2004
2003
2001
1998
1997
1995
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
Selected Collections

Kunstmuseum Aarau

Sammlung Barbier Müller Genf

Emanuel Hoffmann Stiftung, Basel

Kunstmuseum Basel

Kunstmuseum Bern

Kunsthalle Bielefeld

Kunsthalle Bremen, Bremen

Gottfried Keller Stiftung Zürich

Kunstmuseum Chur

Graphische Sammlung ETH, Zürich

Museum Folkwang, Essen

Groninger Museum, Groningen

Musée des Arts et Histoire, Genève

Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel

Museum Kunst Palast, Düsseldorf

Musée des Beaux Arts, La Chaux-de-Fonds

Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg

Lenbachhaus, München

Stiftung Sammlung Marx, Hamburger Bahnhof Berlin

MoMA, New York

Musée des beaux-arts, Neuchâtel

Kunstmuseum St Gallen

Universität St.Gallen

Musée cantonal des Beaux Arts, Lausanne

Muséé des beaux-arts, Le Locle

Kunstmuseum Luzern

Sammlung Nationale Basel

Kunstmuseum Olten

Museum zu Allerheiligen, Schaffhausen

Kunstmuseum Solothurn

Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

Tate Gallery, London

Sammlung Nationale Basel

Museum moderner Kunst, Wien

Graphische Sammlung Albertina, Wien

Kunstmuseum Zürich