Jakob Grosse-Ophoff - Myself and other planets

At a time when technological developments are coming thick and fast and people are fixated on virtual ‘perfection’, Grosse-Ophoff returns to simplicity. Using wood and metal, sometimes combined with everyday objects, he creates sculptures that mimic human gestures. These movements are mechanically driven by run-of-the-mill motors or hand cranks. He does not aim for anatomical realism; the focus is on recognising the expression. 

Art that responds to the visitor

Grosse-Ophoff often reduces the human figure to a hand gesture or nothing more than a mouth. Sometimes the human figure is entirely absent, yet the human presence remains unmistakable. The visitor activates the work by pressing a button, turning a crank or moving past a sensor. Hugger (2025) even requires the whole body: anyone who pushes their chest against a wooden spring is embraced by two wooden arms.

His work follows in the tradition of German wood sculptors such as Stephan Balkenhol and Georg Baselitz, and is inspired by kinetic artists such as Jean Tinguely and Theo Jansen. Furthermore, the active role of the viewer is reminiscent of performance art. Sometimes the lifespan of a work is as short as its recording. 

The relationship between people and their environment

The title Myself and Other Planets refers to a work of the same name from 2023: a kinetic solar system in which a personified sun forms the human centre of the universe. The title playfully alludes to the narcissistic ‘selfie’ culture, but also touches on the core of Grosse-Ophoff’s practice, in which he depicts how humans relate to themselves and to others.

Human interaction is therefore central to the exhibition. Figures are shown talking, kissing or fighting. Other works depict how people see themselves, for example in a mirror or by portraying a cinematic slap to one’s own face. Finally, the sculptures establish a direct connection with the audience: they blow a kiss, make a meaningful gesture or even offer a physical embrace.