Thing of the Day
A representation of the clash between public and private social spheres or just a German taking the p….?
January 17th 2011
Appears that German sculptor Marcel Walldorf
has the long arm of the German law in a bit of a wet steam at the
moment. Seems that Marcel’s rather life-like, silicone and steel
policewoman, called Petra, squatting down in full riot gear to urinate
is “a representation of the clash between public and private social
spheres” - or as German interior minister Markus Ulbig sees
it, “an insult to the police.” The ‘insulted’ GdP police union
themselves say that Petra “breaches the limits of artistic freedom”.
The police are taking the p, aren’t they?
They love it all over at SchNews of course, here’s what the Brighton antagonist newshounds have say on the subject…
“A controversial new art installation has not been going down a bomb with German cops in Dresden.
'Petra' is a life-size model of a female riot cop in full armour
squatting down, trousers akimbo, relieving herself on the floor. The
'piss de resistance' is a yellowish pool of liquid puddling at her
feet.
Police are extremely pissed off over
the exhibition at the Dresden College of Art, claiming, 'There is
freedom of art - but this time it has gone too far.'
As ever in modern art, controversy breeds success and the young
piss-artist concerned, Marcel Walldorf, has won a £1,000 prize and
risen a couple of rungs up the bladder of notoriety”.
www.schnews.org.uk 
Over here at Organ we rather like the look of Marcel’s waffles and other sculptures, and while they may be scoffing slightly over it in the good offices of SchNews, there is a rather serious set of points being made by Walldorf and his really strong pieces of sculpture. As for what the po-leece have to say - doesn't it humanise your riot cop, etc? Walldorf deserves that prize for making immediate and connecting, instantly iconic work that doesn't hide behind a fug of inaccessability. And a lot of artists would love to think that they have a little of the vibe of Joseph Beuys, but we think that this guy actually does include some of the same sort of magick.
Go explore Marcel
Walldorf’s work via www.marcel-walldorf.de
Left: Walldorf's excellent horse sculpture; more images here
