Grüter Max

Swiss artist Max Grüter (*1955 in Adliswil) succeeds in surprising viewers with his works, time and again. The "Earth Divers", for example, suddenly appear in places where nobody would expect them to be. At first glance, the concrete busts equipped with diving goggles seem simply bizarre, but at the same time, and precisely because of their absurd appearance, they create an exciting dialogue with their surroundings. In this way, Grüter skilfully undermines our usual image of the world we live in and thus opens up the intellectual space for us to question our perceptions, insights and realities in light of the alternative presented in the work.

The sculptural installation "Petrol station monument", in which three orange cast-iron petrol station attendants appear to be refuelling themselves - is also capable of making a lasting impression. In keeping with the guiding concept of "free-dimensional" created by Max Grüter for his work, the monumental installation paves the way to various thematic areas: The monument anchored in tradition is addressed just as much as the memorial that has become almost inflationary in recent decades. Associations with the increasing urgency of sustainable energy production and the use of resources are awakened, as is reflection on self-contained cycles and systems in nature, the economy and science. Grüter's "Space diverter" shows us how people can feel in an increasingly complex and anonymous world. On the one hand, the high-tech shell of a spacesuit protects the body from external influences. On the other hand, however, silence, isolation and abandonment are felt inside the protective shell.

Quote
«Just as existentially as in real research and space travel, I also want to venture into unknown territory using my artistic means. I use human figures in the equipment of space travellers, test pilots, divers etc. as symbols. I see this highly protected physicality as a contemporary alternative to depictions of human nudity in art.»