“Schneckenstahl” rises to a height of 3.50 meters and is made entirely of polished stainless steel. The sculpture represents an oversized cyber snail, a creature that has always fascinated me.
The surface of the sculpture is meticulously polished, giving the stainless steel a reflective quality. These reflections interact with the surrounding light and landscape, causing the sculpture’s appearance to change depending on the time of day and weather. This dynamic quality gives “Schneckenstahl” a lively presence and invites you to view the sculpture from different angles.
Stainless steel as a material is not only durable and resistant (just not when it comes to Tesla Truck 🙂 to the elements, but it also connects the nature it reflects with industry, which is the central theme of my work.
The cyber snail, a fantastic creature, is placed in a new context through the industrial material, creating a tension between naturalness and artificiality.
Participating in the symposium in Tultepec gave me the opportunity to collaborate with other amazing artists and to be inspired by the rich cultural history of Mexico. The warm welcome and the local community’s interest in my work made the creation process of “Schneckenstahl” an supercool experience.
What I especially remember are the festivals around the huge fireworks, where many sculptures stuffed with explosives detonated and swirled around my head, even setting me on fire for a brief moment. Thankfully, thanks to the quick reaction of an attentive Mexican, I did not suffer any lasting damage. Luckily.
“Schneckenstahl” now stands as a lasting testimony to this wonderful time and invites everyone to reflect on the balance between nature and industry, movement and stillness. I hope that this sculpture continues to inspire people and brings them as much joy as it brings me.
Tultepec (Mexico) 2008
