Volker Eichelmann

Torso of the Belvedere V

In his new series of collages, Eichelmann takes his starting point from the Belvedere Torso in the Vatican Museum. In taking over and consuming the image of the sculpture, Eichelmann deconstructs its appearance by cutting it up, covering it, rendering the sculpture an allegorical ruin. Subverting the autonomy of the ancient sculpture in art history, Eichelmann creates a palimpsest by adding a new layer to the work in deconstructing and collapsing the famous sculpture. Through the employment of pre-painted paper, the artist recreates the Hellenistic sculpture out of various recycled images. Thus, constructing a painting out of readymade marking. To avoid distance from the work, the artist prefers to work on the floor, being literally in the work.

By enlarging the image of the sculpture, he renders illegible, changing the meaning of the work to become a distant and banal disfigurement of that which the occidental art historical canon touts as high art. The Belvedere Torsois employed as a sophisticated reference to the issues surrounding the continued use of historically famous artworks in contemporary society. In Torso of the Belvedere II, Eichelmann forms new meaning to the work through a metaphysical restoration.

By enlarging the image of the sculpture, he renders illegible, changing the meaning of the work to become a distant and banal disfigurement of that which the occidental art historical canon touts as high art. “The Belvedere Torso” is employed as a sophisticated reference to the issues surrounding the continued use of historically famous artworks in contemporary society. In Torso of the Belvedere II, Eichelmann forms new meaning to the work through a metaphysical restoration.