For fifty years, Roman Signer has challenged the concept of sculpture

In a career spanning over fifty years, Roman Signer has redefined what sculpture can be by working with materials in various time-based processes. Signer's work has come to represent a distinct style within the genre of sculpture, and he is now considered one of the leading representatives of process and conceptual art. This exhibition at Malmö Konsthall is Signer's first major solo exhibition in Sweden and Scandinavia and presents works and films from his entire career, from the 1970s to the present day. Press preview with the artist on June 1 at 11am.

Roman Signer's artistic practice is prolific and characterised by curiosity, ingenuity and playfulness. Concepts such as time, movement and gravity are crucial elements in the creation of the dynamic sculptures he calls Zeit Skulpturen, time sculptures. The time sculptures often only last a few seconds and explore how physical matter is affected by laws of gravity, natural forces and motor energies. Classic base elements such as fire, wind and water are combined with easily recognisable everyday objects – umbrellas, kayaks, tables, boots and barrels – and interact in split-second processes. The ingenious humour that shapes the artist's work arises through the context, the framing and the unexpected potential for development that Signer exposes the objects to.

The exhibition at Malmö Konsthall runs from 3.6–10.9. The exhibition includes around twenty sculptural works both in the exhibition hall and in public space, including two newly produced works for Malmö Konsthall, together with around seventy filmed documentations of his sculptural processes. Part of the exhibition is a chronologically compiled film and video programme that shows 70 of Signer’s sculptural processes spanning the period 1975–2019.

Works are installed in Pildammsparken

Roman Signer's works often appear in public space, and in homage to Signer’s celebrated past participations in outdoor sculpture exhibitions, including Documenta 8 (Kassel, 1987) and Skulptur Projekte Münster (1997), Malmö Konsthall install four of the artist’s works in Pildammsparken during the summer months. The selection has been made in close dialogue with the artist and is based on the works' connection to weather conditions and the properties of water. The works, which are characterised by a delicate combination of playfulness and sincerity, thematise different states of floating and sinking.

The exhibition opens with a combined opening and summer party on Friday 2 June, starting at 7 pm. The co-host of the opening is the cultural association PLX. During the first day of the exhibition, Saturday 3 June at 2 pm, Roman Signer activates the work Wasserinstallation (Water Installation).

Press preview on Thursday, June 1 at 11 am

The press is welcome at the press preview on Thursday, June 1 at 11 am to 12 pm. Roman Signer himself is on site to talk about the exhibition, together with Mats Stjernstedt, Director of Malmö Konsthall. Register by May 25 at the latest to:

Heidi Hakala
Communications manager, Malmö Konsthall
heidi.hakala@malmo.se
+46 (0)70 149 30 19

Press images here with the password press2023

The exhibition at Malmö Konsthall is supported by Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, Kanton St.Gallen Kulturförderung and The Society for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Green Parks in Malmö.