alex fischer
SCULPTURE
MANHOLE COVER
PROJECTS
VIDEO
alex fischer
overtoom 301
1054 hw amsterdam
the netherlands

0031 (0) 6 20 65 39 48
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alex fischer, 1968, born in hamburg / germany
lives and works in amsterdam / netherlands since 1998


Manhole covers:

Fischer is performing as human copy machine specialized in manhole covers.
The work is showing the urban marks of our industrial environment and my growing collection
is reflecting the diversity in time and culture. The unique copies are the revelation of an image
starting from the rubbing of a certain surface. The rubbing is made with a graphite pen -
chosen for its similarities (in physical characteristics) to the metal which it is tracing.
The heavy weight and metallic shine of the original is transformed with a 9B graphic pencil
on 200gr paper.

The rubbings are cataloged by place, date and time of production.
Fischer is drawing his personal timeline and map in the geography of all cities he visited so far.
The process out-grew it‘s conceptual boundaries and has become an ‘obsessive collection‘.

Sculptures:

Fischer's sculptures are from trees. He carves statements in living trees, creating a “master”
which is used for multiple unique printings on canvas and paper, pictures and movies.

In his earlier phase he used ‘dead trees‘ which have been extracted from the nature environment.
The latest phase of his work - going outdoors and using living trees brought an extreme sculptural position.

Fischer's work can be used as free-ware (“master”) by anybody for any reproduction
for as long as the trees are existing - whether standing or cut down.
In a sense the tree becomes a terminal for the message to spread from.
Surrounded by a sense of irony and connections between natural and cultural forms
his actions damage, hurt and alarm, reminding us of its mortal circularity.




2008
galerija laterna / crnomelj, slovenija
kenya international filmfestival / nairobi, kenya
edit2008 / budapest, hungary
amakula filmfestival / kampala, uganda
montevideo / amsterdam, netherlands

2007
galerie paul andriesse / amsterdam, netherlands (solo show)
W139 / amsterdam, netherlands
worm / rotterdam, netherlands

artomi / new york, usa
amakula filmfestival / kampala, uganda
oficina de imagens / belo horizonte, brazil

2006
festival internacional de video arte / valencia, spain
via-lab / don benito, spain
marte e aqui / sao paulo, brazil
buro empty / amsterdam, netherlands
museo universitario de arte / uberlandia, brazil (solo show)

2005
eea beelitz / berlin, germany
loods 6 / amsterdam, netherlands
sail 2005 / amsterdam, netherlands

p/////akt / amsterdam, netherlands
pontificia universidadae catholica / belo horizonte, brazil

2004
de wereld van witte de with / rotterdam, netherlands
bucharest biennale / bucharest, romania
festival de inverno da UFMG / diamantina, brazil
moscow international forum of art / moscow, russia
kunstvlaai / amsterdam, netherlands
arti et amicitiae / amsterdam, netherlands
artwalk / amsterdam, netherlands

2003
p////akt / amsterdam, netherlands (solo show)
ki-osk / amsterdam, netherlands

2002
3001 / duesseldorf, germany
stubnitz project / amsterdam, netherlands
e.o.f. gallery / paris, france

2001
W139 / amsterdam, netherlands
st. pieterskerk / leiden, netherlands
gerrit rietveld academie / amsterdam, netherlands

2000
m-art gallery / arnhem, netherlands
W2 / amsterdam, netherlands

1999
OT301 / amsterdam, netherlands
park of the future / amsterdam, netherlands

1998
m-art gallery / arnhem, netherlands (solo show)
o.l.v.g. / amsterdam, netherlands

1997
hochschule fuer bildende kuenste / hamburg, germany (solo show)

1996
front / hamburg, germany (solo show)

1995
designkreuzzuege / hamburg, germany (first prize)



education
1998 - 2001 gerrit rietveld academie amsterdam
1996 - 1998 hochschule fuer bildende kuenste hamburg