Artist Martin Schaub from Rotenburg is presenting his thought-provoking exhibition "Everything Shovel or What?" at the Gallery im Stift in Bad Hersfeld, featuring sculptures and printed canvas works that draw inspiration from forced labor during bridge construction. The exhibition opens Friday evening at 6:30 PM with a vernissage ceremony.
The artistic journey began with a simple discovery during a vacation in Austria. Schaub found an old, rusty shovel along the banks of the Gasteiner Ache river, near a stone bridge that had been built by prisoners of war. "Perhaps even with this very shovel," the artist reflected. "I thought to myself, I have to make something out of this," Schaub explained about the relic that would later inspire his entire exhibition.
Initially, Schaub donated the shovel to the local heritage museum, but it was eventually sent back to him, sparking his creative process. This discovery led him to explore new artistic territories, expanding his work beyond traditional wood carving to include printed canvas pieces called "Leimtücher" (glue cloths). Despite this innovation, he remained faithful to his wood sculpting roots, as the templates for the canvas works are actually his sculptures.
The exhibition features works with evocative titles such as "Clown, Twice Turned" and "Hurray! Away with the Shovels!" In Schaub's newer pieces, the characteristic shape of the shovel appears repeatedly, whether transformed into leaves on a bush or fashioned as a woman's dress. The artist intentionally uses these motifs to commemorate the forced labor that may have been performed with his discovered tool. "It is a symbol of the prisoners' work," he stated.
Schaub's technical process involves soaking the cloths in glue to give them structure, allowing them to dry before printing them with his sculptures and flat reliefs. "I also worked differently, laying the cloth around my sculptures while it was still soft. Almost like a masseur," the artist described his hands-on approach. This technique creates works that bridge the gap between wood as a material and fabric as a medium.
The exhibition also includes etchings, some featuring biblical themes, alongside his wooden sculptures carved from linden, apple tree, and oak wood. Schaub refers to his wooden sculptures as "journeymen" and highlights "The Ambassador of Peace," which emerged from a single root. The diverse collection demonstrates his range across multiple mediums while maintaining thematic coherence.
The opening ceremony will be conducted by Mayor Anke Hofmann and City Councilwoman Aysegül Tas-Dogan. Kurt Meyer, Schaub's former teaching colleague at the Jacob Grimm School in Rotenburg, will deliver the laudatory speech. "I've already shown him some pieces and I'm curious to see what he makes of it," Schaub said with anticipation. The vernissage will feature musical accompaniment by the artist's son Benjamin and grandson Noah, adding a personal family dimension to the cultural event.
Schaub plans to maintain an active presence throughout the exhibition's run, stating, "I want to be here regularly during the exhibition and engage with visitors, answer questions." The exhibition will remain open through December 31st, with viewing hours Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 5 PM, and Sundays and holidays from 11 AM to 5 PM. Visitors should note that the elevator to the top floor is currently out of order, making the third floor accessible only by stairs.
