Hubert Kostner - Würstelstandl

Hubert Kostner
Würstelstandl
2015-19
120x45x30 cm
wood

In 2015, Hubert Kostner began working with machine-produced wooden figures from Val Gardena, originally stemming from his father’s workshop in Castelrotto, where he was trained as a sculptor.
The former subjects – the night watchman, the jester, several saints, and other typical figures of industrial woodcarving from recent decades – are stripped of their original surfaces.
What interests the artist here are the fundamental qualities of sculpture: carving always means cutting.
Thus, what once was a mass product of kitschy ornamentation becomes a unique work of sculpture. This stark contrast can be understood as a commentary on the social shifts in aesthetic preferences. What once existed is still present, though concealed, and on this basis new art can emerge.

With an innovative spirit, Kostner pursues a path of reconciliation between a fading tradition and the drive of contemporary art.

* The sculpture is for sale. A price list is available at the reception.