Olaf Metzel was born in Berlin in 1952. He studied at the Freie Universität (Free Univeristy) and the Hochschule der Künste (University of the Arts) in Berlin. Since 1990, he has been a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he also served as principal (1995-1999).
The artist’s rise to fame was bittersweet, as it garnered him a reputation as a controversial, trouble-making figure. This resulted from the debacle created by his public artwork 13.4.81 (1987). The sculpture, a tower of piled-up police barriers placed in Berlin and aesthetically inspired by Mondrian’s New York Boogie Woogie (1942–1943), is titled in reference to the date on which violent protests erupted in Germany in the wake of false media reports that the incarcerated RAF member Sigurd Debus had died. Metzel’s response to the incident, in spite of coming six years afterwards on the occasion of the Berlin ‘Sculpture Boulevard’, shocked the public who interpreted it as a declaration of sympathy for terrorism. Vandalised immediately after its erection, the Berlin Senate ordered that the artwork be dismantled. Metzel, harried by the press and threatened with countless anonymous telephone calls, left Berlin for Munich in a state of distress, as his intention had never been to shock, but to comment.
Indeed, as a sculptor, Metzel – using his eye trained on the socio-political issues of his time and with a particular focus on the complexities of German and international history, art history and culture – seeks to reflect the time in which we live, to create visibility for topical issues and, in so doing, to encourage debate on pressing socio-cultural matters. Following the initial uproar surrounding 13.4.81, the artist has channelled public reactions, anticipating and even orchestrating a degree of degradation and/or vandalism. His approach, which may indirectly be included in ‘Context Art’, has been labelled by the artist himself as ‘Living Context’.
Recent exhibitions featuring Metzel’s work include: Livie Fine Art, Zurich (2021); Berliner Kindheit, Wentrup, Berlin (2020); Olaf Metzel, Bayrische Akademie der Schönen Künste, Munich (2020); shopping, Galerie Klüser, Munich (2019); In die Produktion, Edition Block, Berlin (2019); Olaf Metzel, Wentrup, Berlin (2019); Olaf Metzel. Jerg-Ratgeb-Preis 2018, Städtisches Kunstmuseum, Spendhaus Reutlingen, Reutlingen (2018); Olaf Metzel and Heimo Zobernig, Galeria Gentili, Florence (2018); Olaf Metzel, Museum of Art Ein Harod, Kibbutz Ein Harod, Israel (2018); Olaf Metzel – Reise nach Jerusalem, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich (2017); enter the new, Produzentengalerie, Hamburg (2017); #10 Olaf Metzel, mezzaterra11 – flat gallery, Belluno (2017); Plattenbau, Wentrup, Berlin (2017); Art Basel Feature, Basle (2016); Sixpack, Galerie Klüser, Munich (2016); Olaf Metzel – Hans von Marées. Eine Annäherung, Neue Pinakothek, Munich (2016); Deutsche Kiste, Neues Museum Nürnberg, Nuremberg (2016); Olaf Metzel, Deutsche Kiste, Neues Museum Nürnberg, Nuremberg (2015).
Metzel lives and works in Munich.
