Ralf Metzenmacher

Ralf Metzenmacher (26 July 1964 – 3 August 2020) was a German painter and designer. He was an exponent and pioneer of Retro-Art, a synthesis between art and product design. Metzenmacher saw his Retro-Art technique as a revitalization of 17th century still life painting and as a further development of pop art.
Metzenmacher was born in Aachen. He attended Aachen University of Applied Sciences (FH Aachen) from 1986 to 1991. There he studied object- and product design under Professors Christiane Maether and Ulf Hegewald, specializing in painting technique and drawing. Between 1991 and 2004 he worked as a designer for Puma. As director, towards the end of his time there he was responsible for the Footwear Europe and Accessories International division. He played a significant role in the process of transforming the sports manufacturers into an international Sports-Lifestyle brand.
From the early 1980s onwards, Metzenmacher spent more and more of his time concentrating on painting technique. He produced a multitude of paintings (genre scenes and still lifes) during his degree and alongside his job as designer. These are all documented in his book “The other world” (self-published). He worked as a freelance artist from 2004 on and lived and worked in Bamberg.
Metzenmacher used his painting technique to polarize and surprise through the regeneration of numerous concepts. He described himself as a “paintbrush artist” and referred to his exhibition rooms as “schooruum”, an onomatopoeic reference to the English word “showroom”. He propagated the term “Retro-Art” to describe his own painting technique. As self-proclaimed “pioneer” in this area, his aim was to successfully integrate this synthesis of art and design into the Fine art world and to establish its position in the art market.
Retro-art painting technique is reminiscent of Pop art, with intensive strong colours and a reduction and simplification in its presentation. However, whilst Pop art links art with graphics, Retro-Art combines art with product design. “Classic” Pop art generally uses two-dimensional images from comics or advertisements to depict (American) symbols as icons of folk culture. In contrast, Retro-Art uses three-dimensional representations and adopts a critical standpoint on current issues and trends in youth culture and lifestyle.
Some of Metzenmacher's pictures (e.g. “The Crown”) feature surreal elements, reminiscent of Salvador Dalí’s work. However, Metzenmacher did not see himself as a surrealist, but rather; more as a modern ambassador for the classical still life painting technique. The works and painting techniques of Spanish artist Francisco Zurbarán had a lasting influence upon him, as did the still life paintings of Italian artist Giorgio Morandi.
Retro-Art painting technique is effectively a “revitalisation” of 17th century still life painting technique. As a result, Metzenmacher predominately painted modern still life paintings. Depending on the particular theme, he selected simple objects in daily use (e.g. cigars, punching bags, cars) and portrayed them in an unusual way. He also used familiar symbols from the history of art (e.g. mussels, snails), often modifying or distorting them.
His painting technique appeals primarily to a young and young at heart public whose interests lie in fashion, design and lifestyle products. As a result, Metzenmacher with his history in product design added “collections” to go with each original. These collections are printed art pieces which differ in colour, size and fittings (frames). This idea of different collections came from the fashion industry and were transferred to the world of art by Metzenmacher. He called his collections “edition” and “rallipan”.
Metzenmacher preferred to paint picture cycles. For example, in the cycle “The Crowning of Creation” he portrayed primary and secondary female characteristics in a thought-provoking manner using snails, mussels and melons. Titles for his work include such idiosyncratic examples as “The Cherry Rose” and “The Melon Princess”. In the cycle “The Lord of the Crown” he employed sports cars and a smoldering cigar with a cock ring as symbols of masculinity.
Picture cycles from Ralf Metzenmacher