Aron Demetz: Only Counting the Winters

The acclaimed Italian sculptor’s newest series of redwood figures is the focus of this penetrating exhibition catalog.

Celebrated for his profound exploration of the human condition through wood, the Italian sculptor Aron Demetz reveals the raw, natural beauty and inherent fragility of his chosen medium, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary themes of resilience and transformation.

His newest series draws inspiration from the metaphor of winter as a time of endurance and growth for trees, especially redwoods. These sculptures explore the wood’s inherent characteristics, emphasizing its limitations while revealing intricate details and untold stories within the material. They strikingly capture the tension between permanence and transience, portraying strength through fragility.

By skillfully removing material, Demetz uncovers the hidden beauty within the wood’s structure, symbolizing resilience and the delicate balance essential for giant, majestic redwoods to flourish in their natural state. The catalog features stunning photographs of Demetz’s work—a captivating blend of wood and vibrant acrylic elements that mimic machine production techniques like 3D printing—enhanced by three insightful essays that provide diverse perspectives on his artistic vision.

KLAUS HEROLD is a theologian based in Münster, Germany. 

RUPERT KÖNIG is Director of the Kirchenfoyer in Münster, Germany. 

FRANCESCO POLI is an art critic and curator based in Turin, Italy. KONSTANTIN RÖSSLER is a psychoanalyst and author based in Wörth am Rhein, Germany.