MARTIN WENZEL
EVERY TIME I SEE AN ADULT ON A BICYCLE, I NO LONGER DESPAIR FOR THE FUTURE OF THE HUMAN RACE.
The title of this exhibition by Martin Wenzel is a quote from science fiction author H.G. Wells. The author of works such as "The War of the Worlds" or "The Time Machine" can certainly be attributed a dystopian view of the world. It is all the more beautiful that the sight of cyclists could inspire Wells optimistically. The author was a cycling enthusiast, just like the artist Martin Wenzel himself.
As part of the sculptors body of work, the bicycle is not just a means of transportation; it is a sports device, psychotherapy, and a technology that can be relatively easily disassembled and reassembled. The artist often catches himself as a viewer of his own work, which is actually an assembled collection of purely functional objects. For Wenzel, the individual components have aesthetic qualities that need to be examined in isolation from the system.
The oversized cassette shown in the exhibition is the result of such an examination. This work conveys no message, criticizes nothing. It simply represents the greatly enlarged version of a part that is essential to the function of an entire system. A piece that may briefly confuse the viewer and prompt reflection on cycling. An invitation to take a moment not to worry about the future of the human race.
Exhibition duration: 01.12.2023 - 09.02.2024
