Switzerland
* January 26, 1941 Balgach
† December 20, 2024 Zurich
The artworks of Kurt Laurenz Metzler are quite striking; his sculptures depict highly stylized, larger-than-life figures with large heads, long limbs, and chunky shoes that seem to anchor them firmly to the ground. The heads are often distinctly shaped, which the artist himself jokingly referred to as “Rolling Heads.”
Inspired by Pop Art during his time in New York, many of his sculptures are rendered in bold, vibrant colors. Metzler focused on archetypal figures of everyday life, depicting them while walking, sitting, or shopping. Although the works are made of solid materials such as iron, bronze, or polyester resin, and some weigh several tons, the figures usually appear light and lively in their poses.
In 1995, the artist established a sculpture park in Tuscany, nestled within a green space that also houses his live-work studio, featuring around 60 of his colorful figures. The sculptures, which he describes as “urban neurotics”, “newspaper readers”, “drinkers” or “feminists”, tell stories from people’s lives and transform the garden into a colorful stage.
