SONO SCULTORE, IO!Driven by a lifelong calling to understand, shape, and challenge form, Mario Tischhauser operates at the radical intersection of master craftsmanship, academic science, and fine art. His work merges paleoanthropological research with sculptural practice to execute a profound...
Read MoreSONO SCULTORE, IO!
Driven by a lifelong calling to understand, shape, and challenge form, Mario Tischhauser operates at the radical intersection of master craftsmanship, academic science, and fine art. His work merges paleoanthropological research with sculptural practice to execute a profound dissection of society—both physically and psychologically — making evolution and the raw transformation of matter tangible.
AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF DISCIPLINES
Craft & Art (Atelier Mario Tischhauser): A lifelong calling rooted in the physical medium—formally trained as a wood sculptor (graduated with honors, specializing in human anatomy). His artistic practice serves as an anatomical and psychological dissection of human existence. Expertise in high-tech prototyping (3D scanning, additive manufacturing) alongside lectureships for 3D printing.Science & Research (UZH): Master’s studies in Archaeology and Interdisciplinary Sciences at the University of Zurich. Active research at the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (Morphology Division), focusing on the forensic reconstruction of fossil hominin hands — analyzing the exact morphology and evolution of the hand to decode the deep history of tool use.The Synthesis: Scientific-artistic reconstructions for renowned institutions, including the KULTURAMA Museum of Mankind, the Zurich Natural History Museum, and the Kulturmuseum St. Gallen.
RESEARCH FOCUS: HOMININ HANDS & TOOLS
In this current body of research, paleoanthropology and art merge into a singular functional unity. The reconstruction of fossil hominin hands from monochromatic plastiline is far more than science: it is a #MiseEnAbyme. The living hand of the sculptor shapes its own evolutionary mirror image — its very own tool.
«It is the search for that precise moment when the anatomical grip on a tool also shaped the mind. A quest for the origin of both creativity and destruction.»
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS & ACCLAIM (SHORTLIST)
SNSF Scientific Image Competition (2026) | Jury Distinction: Awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) for the photographic work «It’s all about hands» (Category 1: Object of Study), capturing the physical essence of human identity. | Journées photographiques de Bienne (2026): Festival exhibition showcasing the distinction in scientific imagery. | Pavillion Suisse, Paris (Autumn 2026): Upcoming presentation of the award-winning SNSF works.Solo & Gallery Presentations (Selection): Art International Zurich 2012 (Solo), Keller Galerie Zurich («Amuse-Bouche»), Metropol Arbon («Full of Life»).Public Monuments & Collaborative Work (2008): Collaboration on Pipilotti Rist’s monument «Chaiselongue» for Emilie Kempin-Spyri in the courtyard of the University of Zurich.International Sculpture Symposia (2007): Invitations and exhibitions dedicated to bronze casting, including the City Art Museum Penza (RUS) and Gallery Babylon Samara (RUS).
Full CV, portfolio, and extensive list of exhibitions available at: mariotischhauser.com
