Curated by Friederike Nymphius and Gerold Miller

Modern sculpture is an international group show conceived especially for Galería Casado Santapau. The exhibition features art works by 22 international contemporary artists, sharing a common interest in sculpture. Each of them interprets this issue individually, thus a collision of concepts is calculated. Modern sculpture is a co-curated project by curator Friederike Nymphius and artist Gerold Miller from Berlin.

For a long time the three-dimensional art work had been realised through the traditional methods of carving wood or stone, modelling plaster, or casting bronze. The late 1950s and the 1960s set in motion a substantial change in the way art was understood and built. Artists began to experiment with a wide array of new materials and different approaches to creating their works. Especially in the field of sculpture this period marked a decisive transformation in the way the three dimensional object was physically made and intended, hence exercising a strong influence on its nature and its potential as an artistic medium. Surrealist imagery, performative or conceptual elements, a minimalistic vocabulary, modern industrial material like plastics and resine as well as unusual surfaces became characteristic for the new sculpture.

Until today the subject of modernist sculpture is a central concern for artists. The exhibition shows that the process of questioning and expanding the premises of sculpture is still going on, giving way to a great diversity of interpretations, examinations, and in appeareance. At the same time the exhibited art works are radically contemporary, mixing the language of modernist sculpture with a strong consciousness of the presence.

The sculptures at Casado Santapau represent only a small excerpt of the wide span of productive results that has been created since the 1960s. The character of the project is accentuated by the open minded mixture of intentions, materials, forms and colours. The interplay of different types of sculpture and a purpose-designed display create a dialogue that finds its expression in a strong visual impact.