You have stolen my silence, 2006, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 167,5x55x38 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Gehard Demetz is a mystery artist, the only thing that we know about him is that he was born in 1972, Italy, and that he currently lives in the mountains of Selva Gardena. Maybe this is the only thing that matters when you set an eye on his absolutely marvelous wooden sculptures, since you forget everything you may have in your mind. Why lie, this is not wood, this is the material of the dreams. And dreams are the perfect place for dark surrealism to rise. What are those lost children looking for? What’s the story that they hide? They look at you and it seems that they are inviting you to torture them. Or to pay for having tortured them in the past, as if they were the habitants of a forgotten orphanage where bad things were happening.

(left) Gloomysunday, 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 173 X 44 X 40 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori



(right) Your sweat is salty, 2005, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 172 x 38 x 35 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori



Their sad expressions come as a contrast to the almost porcelain aspect of the wood. It seems that innocence was interrupted there and now it’s time for justice, for the revenge of the good. The missing wooden parts of the sculptures reveal the aching truth. That life may be at moments superficial and seemingly happy-go -lucky, but nobody can hide from the past, nobody can escape his ghosts. Gerald Demetz’s sculptures leave you defenseless. Addicted to darkness, you keep begging for more.

Gehard Demetz is represented by

Galleria Rubin, Milan // Italy

discover Demetz's talent through the pictures that follow:

You have stolen my silence (detail) , 2006, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 167,5x55x38 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

You have stolen my silence (detail) , 2006, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 167,5x55x38 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

left // Don't think twice it's all right, 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 171 x 40 x 35 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

right // Don't cry in public, 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 170 x 108 x 34 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Don't cry in public, 2007, detail,© Gehard Demetz

wood, 170 x 108 x 34 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

I hear the spirit while I whisper, 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 166x105x37,5 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

I hear the spirit while I whisper (detail) , 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 166x105x37,5 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Hitler and Mao, 2007, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 2 pieces, ca 168 x 37 x 37 cm each, detail

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Your monsters are just like mine, 2006 © Gehard Demetz

wood, 168,5 x 38 x 35 cm, detail

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

My headphones save my life, 2006 © Gehard Demetz

wood, 158 x 38 x 35 cm, detail

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Mum only said wash your hands, 2008 © Gehard Demetz

wood, 168 x 37,5 x 34 cm, detail

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

image credits // clockwise: a - A soft distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 162 x 31,5 x 28 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

b - A soft distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 162 x 31,5 x 28 cm, detail, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

c - A light distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 50,5 x 11,5 x 11,5 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

d - Just one step behind, 2007, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 160 x 40 x 40 cm, detail, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

e - Married to myself, 2008, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 175 x 44 x 312 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

f - Everything he lied was true, 2006 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 166 x 37,5 x 50 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

g - You have stolen my silence, 2006, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 167,5x55x38 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

h (in the center) - For my fathers, 2009 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 175 x 50 x 37 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

image credits // clockwise: a - A soft distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 162 x 31,5 x 28 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

b - A soft distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 162 x 31,5 x 28 cm, detail, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

c - A light distortion, 2008 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 50,5 x 11,5 x 11,5 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Luca Reffo

d - Just one step behind, 2007, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 160 x 40 x 40 cm, detail, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

e - Married to myself, 2008, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 175 x 44 x 312 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

f - Everything he lied was true, 2006 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 166 x 37,5 x 50 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

g - You have stolen my silence, 2006, © Gehard Demetz, wood, 167,5x55x38 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

h (in the center) - For my fathers, 2009 © Gehard Demetz, wood, 175 x 50 x 37 cm, Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano Photo by Egon Dejori

Everything he lied was true, 2006 © Gehard Demetz

wood, 166 x 37,5 x 50 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

The mouth full of stars, 2006, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 166 x 50 x 40 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori

Married to myself, 2008, © Gehard Demetz

wood, 175 x 44 x 312 cm

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Egon Dejori



© Gehard Demetz, detail

Courtesy Galleria Rubin, Milano

Photo by Luca Reffo



Gehard Demetz bares it all to Yatzer // 13 February 2010

click on the following image to read the exclusive interview @ Yatzer