Viral Sculptor with 100M+ Instagram Views Opens to Worldwide Collectors
German artist Jakob Grosse-Ophoff’s first solo show in Norway, Machines Like Us, features viral kinetic sculptures that breathe, smile, and struggle — now viewable in person at Gallery TM51 in Oslo. www.tm51.no/exhibitions/2025/jakobgrosse-ophoff/machineslikeus
Oslo, Norway , Oct. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gallery TM51 presents “Machines Like Us,” the debut commercial exhibition of viral artist Jakob Grosse-Ophoff, whose self-sawing, hyperventilating wooden sculptures have generated over 100 million Instagram views in the past year and attracted 180,000 Instagram followers. The artist has famously resisted sales, completing only five transactions directly from his studio. This exhibition marks the first time his viral kinetic works are publicly available to worldwide collectors.
Jakob Grosse-Ophoff, Flying kiss [2025]. Wood, metal, motor/gears. Photo: Jakob Grosse-Ophoff. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery TM51
A wooden hand mechanically sawing through itself. A wooden sculpture hyperventilating into a plastic bag. A faceless head receiving a painted smile. These hypnotic, unsettling machines are what made Grosse-Ophoff a viral sensation—and now they’re available for purchase.
His most viewed piece, “Kissbot,” alone garnered 3.6 million views on Instagram. Grosse-Ophoff’s kinetic wooden sculptures have generated over 3 million TikTok views: “Self Love” (1.6 million views), “Political Duty” (938,000 views), “You Idiot” (344,000 views), and “Self Reflection” (130,000 views). His 180,000 Instagram followers watch these motorized figures fail, retry, and persist in their mechanical existences.
“For years, I resisted selling because I couldn’t bear separating from these machines I’d built,” says the 33-year-old artist. “But gallerists have argued that engaging with collectors is essential for artistic development. This feels like a natural evolution.”
The Oslo exhibition at Gallery TM51 marks Grosse-Ophoff’s first major commercial venture. Previously, he had sold only five works directly from his German studio, making him something of a cult figure among younger art enthusiasts who followed his anti-commercial stance.
“Jakob’s machines display remarkable lifelike qualities,” observes curator and gallerist Einar Jone Rønning. “They fail, retry, and refuse to surrender. His social media presence allows collectors worldwide to experience that vitality before encountering the physical works.”
Each sculpture is hand-built from wood and driven by motors that create repetitive, hypnotic movements—analog responses to our increasingly digital world. The exhibition includes both new works and select pieces that became TikTok sensations, offering collectors the chance to own the viral sculptures they’ve watched online.
“In an era where AI writes poetry and robots simulate emotions, Jakob shows us machines that actually feel something,” notes Rønning. “They embody the failures and persistence that define human experience.”
EXHIBITION DETAILS
Title: Machines Like Us
Artist: Jakob Grosse-Ophoff
Opening Reception: Thursday, October 16, 6:00-8:00 PM
Exhibition Dates: October 16 – November 23, 2025
GALLERY TM51
Fridtjof Nansens plass 6, Oslo, Norway
Open Wednesdays and Thursdays 6:00–8:00 PM, Saturdays 2:00–4:00 PM
Sculptures in motion during opening hours only
TM51 INFILL
Parkveien 5, Oslo, Norway
Visible 24/7 from street level
Sculptures in motion for 10 minutes every hour, 8:00 AM–8:00 PM
Works Available: 10 kinetic sculptures (mix of new works and select previous TikTok favorites) and 4 framed paintings/sketches from machines featured in the exhibition.
Exhibition Information: www.tm51.no/exhibitions/2025/jakobgrosse-ophoff/machineslikeus
Artist Digital Presence:
Instagram: @ja.ko.mo (180,000 followers)
TikTok: 3+ million total views
High-resolution images and video content available upon request. Artist available for interviews.
About Jakob Grosse-Ophoff:
Jakob Grosse-Ophoff (b. 1991, Germany) combines mechanical engineering training with artistic practice to create kinetic wooden sculptures exploring human-machine relationships. Since completing his engineering degree in 2019, he has presented solo and group exhibitions internationally, with recent shows in Germany, France, South Korea, and the United States. This marks his first major commercial exhibition
Artist portrait: Jakob Grosse-Ophoff, 2025. Photo: Dan Petermann / Gallery TM51
About Gallery TM51
Founded in 2011 by Einar Jone Rønning, TM51 cuts to the pulse of contemporary art. We stage lean, precise shows across two sites: the main gallery at Fridtjof Nansens plass 6, and TM51 Infill (Parkveien 5)—a 3.5 × 3.5 m window gallery that pushes the program into the street. We pair emerging voices with established figures in painting, sculpture, and media. We work with collectors in Norway and abroad, and works championed by TM51 have entered major public and corporate collections, including Norway’s National Museum (Nasjonalmuseet). Past collaborations include Lars Ramberg, Magne Furuholmen, and Mick Rock.Â
Press inquiries
Gallery TM51
https://tm51.no
Einar Jone Rønning
[email protected]
+47 93034604
Bygdøy allé 61, 0265 Oslo Norway (post address)
Fridtjof Nansen plass 6 Oslo Norway (Main gallery)
Parkveien 5 Oslo Norway (satelite)
A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.youtube.com/embed/XKcpGRHNtbQ
