Return of the Giants

Since 1984, Rainer Fetting (*1949) has not only created paintings but also an extensive range of sculptural works. For the first time, this catalogue, with its 30 bronzes, all partially painted, provides an overview of this group of works by Fetting. The artist, who lives and works in Berlin und New York, is one of the few contemporary sculptors to make use of models to create sculptural form.
The title Rückkehr der Giganten (Return of the Giants) is taken from a group of figures being exhibited here for the first time. Here, the giants are the painters Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin; in this way Fetting reiterates his respect for tradition. Furthermore, the title also refers to the specific motifs of Fetting’s sculptures that have been taboo in European sculpture since 1945: politicians and naked men.