OTMAR ALT "Elephant" 1994
Corten Steel, H:220 / W:100cm

For Otmar Alt and his work, animals hold great significance. On one hand, they represent the unadulterated expression of natural behaviors (as long as they are not disturbed, overbred, or humanized), in which different groups of animals coexist. On the other hand, the animals, with their quirky forms, colors, or behaviors, also serve as the starting point for many of his works, in which human – all too human – characteristics are expressed through animal/human representations, gaining great succinctness. However, his absolute favorite animal is the elephant. This large yet sensitive creature, which can literally uproot trees while moving very carefully. The thick-skinned giant with the sensitive skin. These two poles are expressed in the corten object through the height of 2.20 m and the comparatively thin steel plate with a thickness of 6 mm.