Peter Fischli / David Weiss: Snowman

In 1987, Peter Fischli (born 1952) and David Weiss (1946–2012) created Snowman, a permanently frozen snowman sculpture installed outside (and preserved by) the Römerbrücke power station in Saarbrücken, Germany. In 2017, Fischli was commissioned by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to remake the work. His Snowman consisted of three copper spheres contained in a large freezer. As frost accumulated on the spheres, the snowman grew in size, eventually requiring defrosting, his smile redrawn daily to preserve his expression.
This artist’s book tells the story of the Snowman from 1987 to today, chronicling its iterations in a photo essay. It also illustrates the transformation of the snowman’s cultural meanings since the 18th century, from “bogeyman” to loveable friend, and shows how the generation of electricity has changed in the last 35 years, from thermal power station to solar energy.