Man of steel who journeyed from schmattes to sculpture

Marcel Mittelman’s sculpture explores the human form using all manner of metal. His new exhibition opens in Melbourne next week.

Marcel Mittelman had made a name for himself in the schmattes trade long before turning his hand to a different creative form in the art world.

Melbourne-based Mittelman, who was raised in post-war Paris by Holocaust survivors, founded the renowned fashion label Dachet, which gained widespread success across Australia during the 1980s-90s.

After selling the Dachet business in 1996, Mittelman began dabbling in woodwork but was soon drawn to metal work where he enjoyed experimenting with the malleability of steel. 

He has since forged a successful career as a sculptor.

Next week, his latest exhibition of figurative and abstract sculptures opens at the Landsman Studio in Cheltenham in suburban Melbourne.

Mittelman says he often begins his works with flat sheets of steel that are then cut and stacked on top of each other to create three dimensional shapes. “I love using flat pieces of steel and welding them together to create a sense movement.”

Through his sculpture Mittelman explores the human form, fashioning torsos from metal fasteners or links in bicycle chains that he welds together. 

The geometrical designs unfold like steel origami as the viewer approaches each piece. Mittelman believes his foundation in the schmatte trade lives on in each of his art works. “The construction of a garment is just like the creation of a sculpture,” he says. “Designing clothing is a form of sculpture.”

Marcel Mittelman’s exhibition opens on March 19, from 12pm-4pm, then by appointment until April 9 at Landsman Studio, Factory 6, 136 Keys Road, Cheltenham, Melbourne