Walter OltmannWalter Oltman: In Time, 2024
In 2022, Walter Oltmann was awarded the Edoardo Villa Extraordinary Award for Sculpture, which empowers the continuing practice of the recipient by providing space and resources to research, produce, and exhibit new works. Oltmann’s award also made possible this publication, for which he engaged in a series of conversations with different artists who work in a similar way, to varying ends. These conversations, with Usha Seejarim, Chris Soal, and Inga Somdyala, led to the exhibition, 'A Quiet Focus' (2022–3), aimed at demonstrating the ideas expressed and exploring the dialogue between each artist and the materials they use, in particular their slow, repetitive process and the haptic nature of their work. The exhibition invited audiences to handle and experiment with these materials, to gain a deeper understanding of their methodology, the labour involved, and the limitations and possibilities afforded by each material.
