When a Candle Becomes Art – Urs Fischer and Melting Sculptures 09 January 2026

For centuries, candles have accompanied people – providing light, creating atmosphere, and symbolizing memory, calm, and tradition. But can they also be works of art? After all, we usually associate art with something permanent, like marble sculptures or paintings preserved in museums for hundreds of years. Urs Fischer, one of the most groundbreaking contemporary artists, breaks this pattern by creating works that literally disappear before the viewers’ eyes.

His famous installation Untitled, exhibited in the Rotunda at the heart of the Bourse de Commerce, was a group of monumental candles that gradually burned down, each time forming new, unpredictable shapes. This is art that isn’t static – it lives and changes with every minute until it finally vanishes.

Art That Burns
In his installation, Fischer played with time, form, and transience. Initially, his sculptures were realistic and full of detail, but once the wicks were lit, the burning process transformed them until the wax completely melted away.

His work shows that fire and wax can be not only functional but also carriers of artistic expression. What seems permanent can turn out to be fragile and ephemeral, and a candle – seemingly an everyday object – can become a form of art.

Wax That Shapes Form – Polwax and Precision in Candle Production
Fischer’s art demonstrates how exceptional a material wax is. Its plasticity, ability to change form under heat, and natural luminosity have made it useful not only in art but in numerous industries for centuries.

At Polwax, we fully understand these properties. As one of the paraffin producers, we ensure our products meet the highest standards:

✅ Decorative and functional candles – perfectly balanced wax blends ensure long burn times and a beautiful, even flame.

✅ Candle inserts – our paraffin compositions provide long-lasting burning, weather resistance, and stable combustion.

✅ Industrial technologies – our Formowax is used in precision casting, where, just like in Fischer’s art, accurate detail reproduction and control over the forming process are essential.

Just as Fischer used wax to create a unique work of art, at Polwax we use it to create products that accompany people in everyday life.