Beyond Narrative, Towards Matter. Interview with Sculptor Aron Demetz
Sculpture between fragility, combustion, and primordial memory
Tell us what you do and your beginnings.
My approach to art was more by chance than by choice. I was supposed to become a dental technician, but for various reasons, I remained attached to art school. The beginnings of my personal work were more of a narrative and introspective figuration, which, when applied to wood, often encountered technical difficulties.
In later years, I attempted to resolve these difficulties with various solutions, drawing closer to the life of the tree itself, attempting to translate them into the body.
So, in short, I’m interested in sculpture and form in space in general; the figure is often a vehicle, less for storytelling than for attempting to connect materiality, form, and memories.
What does your work aim to say?
My work doesn’t seek to narrate, but to remember, or to open different, unexpected doors that draw the viewer into their perception and their world; always prefigured by my intentions.
I don’t like to leave the task of putting things together entirely up to the viewer: I provide a beginning, a direction, but I try to leave enough room for personal interpretation.
In the burned works, for example, I’m interested in the fragility of what remains, of what appears to us, and the personal, primordial memory that lies within us reappears like a mirror that touches us and unleashes questions or emotions.
Similarly, the resins initially recall the putrefaction of a body, but when one manages to connect the resin to the blood of the tree, the reassembling, healing aspect of it appears, bringing us closer to the metamorphosis of sculpture.
Where do you find inspiration for your art?
It’s more like a transition from one work to the next. What I mean is, what didn’t work in the first one, I try to correct in the next sculpture, and so the form, surface, and content slowly change over the years.
But I don’t wake up in the morning with a new idea in my head; that’s a false picture of the artist. I believe that “becoming” is a long process, tied to personal experiences and decisions.
Then everyone makes their own choices and tries to find their place where they believe they belong and where they can best utilize their skills.
Could you give us some insight into your creative process?
It’s hard to summarize in a sentence. I like to get my hands dirty, as they say, and experiment with materials, distorting them and pushing them to their limits—the limits of the type of sculpture—combining ideas with what reflects the visual form.
Experiences like this accumulate and, when things go well, they come together in a single work. Every artist has different origins, approaches, and interests, and each, in their own way, tries to communicate with their audience.
Personally, I’ve always enjoyed using my hands. For a while, I can be abstract, focused on the idea, but then I enjoy experimenting with materials, shaping things, and trying to combine them with tried-and-true experiences.
What are your future projects?
At the end of February, I’ll be opening a solo show at the 104 Gallery in Tokyo, another at the Galleria Anna Marra in Rome, and then in May, an exhibition in honor of Saint Francis at the MAXXI Museum in Rome.
I’m also continuing my work with Veta, an association that supports the creative work of young people, and the Summer Academy Garden, which I lead, as well as various group exhibitions.
Interview by Fabio Pariante: X • Instagram • Website