Wood Sculpture in Trentino: Aron Demetz and Bruno Walpoth on Tradition and Innovation

An interview with sculptors Aron Demetz and Bruno Walpoth explores the revival of wood sculpture in contemporary art, challenging the notion that it is a 'dead language.' Demetz, known for figurative works altered with resin, fire, and computer-milled 'hairy' textures, sees technique as a tool for art, not an end. Walpoth, whose white-painted figures evoke introspection, finds wood uniquely suited to capturing the soul. Both artists are part of the Val Gardena school, a tradition spanning four centuries. They note growing international appreciation, especially in Nordic countries and Germany, while Italy lags due to prejudice against figurative and craft-associated media. Demetz's participation in the Venice Biennale and Gerhard Demetz's exhibition at MACRO Rome signal a shift. Walpoth cites Damien Hirst's Venice show as evidence of sculpture's rising importance. The interview coincides with a landmark wood sculpture exhibition at Galleria Civica di Trento and the Skulptur Projekte Münster. The artists emphasize that manual skill and new technologies can coexist, and that wood's beauty rivals marble and bronze.