Dennis Oppenheim

Dennis Oppenheim (Electric City, Washington, 1938 – Manhattan, New York, 2011)

Dennis Oppenheim arrived at Celle along with the first artists invited in the early ’80s, and he chose an sloping field behind the open-air amphitheater as the place to create his artwork. The area was characterized by a dominant grassy slope extending under the branches of an enormous centuries-old oak tree located at the edge of the open field. The majestic presence of the tree influenced the artist even during the design process. In fact, the tall towers of his contraption, designed to launch fireworks, were conceived in relation to the oak tree. The highly articulated composition of the piece led Oppenheim to work extensively with local blacksmiths capable of sourcing and combining metals in various formats as required.

The artist’s interest in machines as “generators of joyful experiences” returned to Celle in 1990 as a birthday card for Giuliano Gori’s 60th birthday. The card took the form of a large drawing depicting an “automatic wheel for kisses,” where the rotating carousel opens and closes large pink lips. The dedication “Project for Venice, Kisses for Giuliano’s 60th birthday” is written along the sides of the large paper support. On April 20, 2005, the first major devastating storm of the new climate-change era struck the park, and a tornado uprooted the oak tree in Oppenheim’s field. When the artist saw documentation of the damage, he instructed that themonumental tree trunk be left on the ground. It’s still there today, testifying to the strong connection between the sculpture and the site, and recently its seeds have given rise to four young oak trees.

“Oppenheim in ‘Formula Compound (A Combustion Chamber) (An Exorcism)’ appears to resurrect aspects of Duchamp’s ‘Great Glass’, albeit in three dimensions. He seems to imply that this great lugubrious piece of machinery, which he wished to use for an evening of fireworks signals the end of industrialization and mechanization. Resembling a defunct amusement park, Oppenheim’s outmoded machine functions in an analogous manner to sculptur4es that commemorate dead heroes, and, ironically enough, Gambini’s garden which veered so far away from the industrial age serves as itsgraveyard.” Robert Hobbs, in Art in Arcadia, Umberto Allemandi& C., Turin, p. 43.

Works by the artist

Formula Compound

For more info:

dennis-oppenheim.com