Ingrid Scherr

New Classics From Another World

At first sight, what we see is classic stone sculpture, presented on pedestals in a rather traditional manner: organic forms, anthropomorphic fragments, archaic objects. Possibly we are looking at precious archaeological finds, serving as evidence of long-gone civilizations and reminding us of the origin and the transience of humanity. But in fact, they are freshly carved aerated concrete blocks – in other words artificially inflated dust – the standard all-purpose building material of the 20th century. Ingrid Scherr not only uses this modern material as a basis for her sculptural studies, she also incorporates the history of the artificial stone into her works. What the quarries in Carrara are to a classical sculptor, that’s what work sites of demolished houses are for Ingrid Scherr: They are her source of raw material. And, like the marble sculptor who considers the veining of the stone during the shaping process, with an intuitive approach to her work, this artist draws inspiration from usage marks on the recycled concrete.

“Varied surface finishes and structures are meant to lead the eye of the beholder on a trip into a labyrinthine subconscious”, says Ingrid Scherr about her artistic intention. “Vandalism and decomposition techniques transform the originally standardized concrete stones into abstracted hybrid creatures.” With her expressive sculptures, the artist’s work formally lies somewhere between gestural abstraction and postmodern primitivism – and it always comes with a touch of tongue-in-cheek nonchalance that reveals a delight in playing with the traditional role of the artist as the creator of unique, magical objects.

Ingrid Scherr was born in Munich in 1962 and works as a painter, sculptor and multimedia artist in Osnabrueck and Berlin. She studied at the University of Fine Arts of Hamburg (HFBK) and is a founding member of the artist group WUUUL. “New Classics From Another World” is her first solo exhibition in the gallery.