Katharina Fritsch

Schlange / Snake

1999/2001

Katarina Fritsch (b. 1956, Essen, Germany) is a contemporary German sculptor known for her surreal, highly detailed, and often monochromatic sculptures that explore themes of mythology, consumer culture, and psychological symbolism. Fritsch studied at the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts from 1977 to 1984, where she was influenced by German conceptualism and the legacy of Joseph Beuys. Her sculptures frequently depict everyday objects, animals, religious figures, and human forms, reimagined at unexpected scales and rendered in bold, uniform colors. These transformations give her works an uncanny, almost dreamlike presence. One of her most famous pieces, "Elephant" (1987), exemplifies her ability to make familiar figures feel strange and psychologically charged. Another iconic work, "Hahn/Cock" (2013), a giant blue rooster installed in London’s Trafalgar Square, plays with notions of power, national identity, and symbolism. Fritsch has exhibited extensively, including at the Venice Biennale (1995, 2011) and Documenta IX (1992), and her work is held in major collections such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Tate Modern, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Through her precise craftsmanship and conceptual depth, Fritsch continues to challenge perceptions of reality and meaning in contemporary sculpture.