Robert Stadler

When I bought my ticket for the Dresden gallery for sculpture and fine arts, I was offered a ticket to the show in the building  next door as well, a show by called 'You may also like: Robert Stadler.'  I had poked my head in the door on my way to the gallery and had seen that it was a one room show which didn't look terribly promising. But I bought the dual ticket just in case. I am glad I did because looks can be deceving. Like the title of the show, Stadlers 'art’ (or craft?) is thoughtful and memorable. He takes everyday objects and changes them, making comments on society and how we organise our lives.

I particularly liked his dissolving plastic chair. He said he made it because he hated the ubiquitous plastic chairs that are just everywhere. I think he'd like them to decompose organically, but like everything plastic they don't. They just break and become a problem.

Disappearing plastic chair by Robert Stadler

Another of his works struck me particularly, mainly because it reminded me of a childhood incident. Stadler had made a  monkey with very large pink balls,  a comment on what we find embarrassing and don't like talking about.

The three silent staff members who stood like statues for the half hour (or was it longer) that I slowly meandered around the room might have smiled as I chuckled. I don't know as I was too engrossed with the monkey.

When I was a kid there was a very prudish Minister​ of the church who called in to say hello  occasionally. I remember him drinking tea  with us one day. We were  being very proper (we were four children) when the talk turned to zoos. I think we must have recently visited a zoo as my  youngest sister looked up at this Minister  and very earnestly informed him that “ the baboon had a red bottom!”. The embarrassment factor must be why I remember the incident to this day. I'm not sure whether he or we were more embarrassed, but most likely my sister once she discovered that you don't talk about bottoms as you drink tea with a Minister.

Robert Stadler's Monkey with large balls.

As I left the gallery that day I congratulated the nearest staff member on their ability to stand motionless for so long. She laughed and looked appreciative.