ARTIST STATEMENT

Martin Lammert applies formal fabrication techniques to found and store-bought materials to create sculpture. His work frequently incorporates lumber, buckets, storage containers, tarps, factory-sealed goods, cords, foam, and towels. This diverse range of processes and materials can best be described as a “mixed bag.” Upon closer inspection, elements that may initially appear crude are treated with intricate and meticulous care, achieved through skilled hand-finishing. In contrast, there is a deliberate bastardization of materials that reveals an understanding of their proper use.
His practice oscillates between communicating sincerity and displaying evidence of flippancy. Drawing on themes from recreational activities, architectural forms, and art historical references, he merges elements of conventional entertainment with intellectual pursuits to create sculptures that can be seen as both operative and situational. At times, they may resemble a pile of objects, perhaps better described as the remnants of a hoarder. However, his work thrives under interpretation.
As his sculptures develop, the original ideas and intentions often recede, overshadowed by a composite structure that addresses concepts of existentialism, play, meaning, and reality. These sculptures behave as forms but also take on the representation of built environments and, more broadly, the brain. In this way, Lammert views his work as both a scale model and a neurological map, physically and metaphorically representing larger structures and philosophical ideologies in the broadest sense.

– Martin Lammert

ARTIST BIO

Martin Lammert, born in 1990, currently resides and works in St. Louis. He received his BFA from the University of Southern California in 2013 and his MFA from Washington University in 2022.