Inspired by the vast everyday life RobOtto – a.k.a. Ottó Szabó – decided to take his turn on the topic of masculinity and the connection between humankind and its' machines. The exhibition titled Lumberjack Gym is on view at the heatwave and summer-friendly exhibition space located on a rooftop terrace – ENA Viewing Space.

Robotto – Ottó Szabó:  Lumberjack Gym
31 July – 9 September 2018
Curated by Peter Bencze
ENA Viewing Space, Budapest

All the artworks – except the three brick figurine gazing down to the exhibition from the actual rooftop situated next to the gallery space – are real and perfectly functional gym room gears. The barbells in different shapes and sizes are all designed and built by the exhibiting artist RobOtto. The exhibit even features a full-length mirror so regular gym guests can follow up on their physical progress.  The pop-up gym show is a heart-warmingly humorous but still oddly cynical take on the topic of body image in the era of social media and society's expectations regarding how masculinity is shaped – illustrated by the figure of the forever manly, confident and bold lumberjack character. RobOtto often uses various, so-called wastes in his practice as inspirations – here the idea of using raw wood material came from laying logs seen at a lumber yard. As visitors starting to discover the gym exhibition by animating the gears them and their motions become essential and fundamental parts of the show.

Text by Róza Tekla Szilágyi

Photo credit: Aron Weber
Courtesy of the artist and Everybody Needs Art