Every atom of iron, every shimmering piece of steel, carries the story of stellar sacrifice. Billions of years ago, when a star much like our Sun exhausted its fuel, it tried to fuse heavier elements—but when it reached iron, the process came to an abrupt halt. Unable to sustain itself, the star collapsed inward, triggering a supernova—an explosion so powerful that it scattered newly formed metals across the galaxy. This moment, the death of a star, marked the birth of metal as an element.

Paleontology Inspired Metal Sculptures

This is the birth hour of my Galactic Sculptures—a fusion of space exploration and paleontology, two fields that remind us how much of the universe remains undiscovered. My journey began with a vision—a dream of something extraordinary. I imagined a paleontologist on a distant planet, perhaps somewhere in the Sagittarius constellation, brushing away cosmic dust to reveal an ancient fossil. But this fossil was unlike anything found on Earth—an extinct life form from an unknown world, frozen in time and waiting to tell its story.

Vision of Galactic Fossils

That vision became the foundation for my first Galactic Fossil sculpture—a three-dimensional testament to imagination and discovery. Creating it was no small feat. I had to consider not just the artistic form but also the tools and manufacturing process that would bring it to life. I turned to 3D software for precision design and laser cutting to transform 4mm steel sheets into intricate, interactive sculptures. The complexity of the process mirrored the very creation of the metal itself—a reminder that even the most extraordinary art is born from patience, persistence, and an understanding of nature's raw forces.

Long before Earth Existed

When you stand before one of my steel sculptures, you're not just looking at a piece of contemporary art—you're witnessing the remnants of a star that died long before Earth existed. That steel, cool to the touch and solid under the hand, holds within it the memory of a stellar cataclysm—a silent yet powerful tribute to the ancient past. Each sculpture is, in essence, a commemorative object—a reminder of how old the materials beneath our feet truly are and how deeply connected we are to the universe.

Space exploration continually fuels my work. It invites us to dream beyond the horizon, to wonder what other 'fossils' might lie buried on exoplanets orbiting distant suns. As Carl Sagan once said, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." It’s a sentiment that drives both science and art—a shared curiosity that propels humanity forward.

Stephen Hawking said Creativity is Essential

To grasp the immense timescale it took for metal to form—from the heart of a dying star to the sculpture standing in front of you—is to confront eternity itself. As Stephen Hawking once reminded us, "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change," but "Creativity is essential" for exploring not just the universe but also the depths of our own imagination.

That’s what my sheet metal sculptures are truly about—the genius of human curiosity and creativity embodied in the spirit of space exploration, expressed through the timeless art of sculpture. They are more than objects—they are stories, waiting to be discovered, much like the universe itself.

Let´s meet on Reddit

I have my own subreddit called r/galactic_fossils and you are more than welcome to come by.

Peter Von Hauerland