Masamitsu Iida “Soul and Shape”
Caelum Gallery
This event has ended.
The genre of animal sculptures that had its beginnings in prehistory is surprisingly durable. Examples of current practitioners are Barry Flanagan and his playful rabbits, and Tom Otterness with his bulbous menagerie. Contemporary artists such as these emphasize charm and whimsy in their animal depictions, in contrast to the 19th Century approach of naturalism that was epitomized by Antoine-Louis Barye. Iida’s sculptures are firmly in the contemporary camp, and he takes, as his premise, that his delightful animal sculptures will appeal to adults by bringing them back to the innocent age of childhood.
Iida’s art differs from the former two artist because, while they cast their works in bronze, he works in stone. The artist chooses to retain clues to the original shapes of the stones he works with, and he emphasizes equally the material and the animal forms. Of course there is a built-in contradiction between inanimate stone and living creatures, but the tension between the two builds to a point at which the viewer accepts that life animates the stone. Technically, the artist works his forms in large masses, avoiding cumbersome details, and he enlivens them with incisions- lines that enhance the description of the animals’ anatomy and adds light, decorative elegance to the sculptures.
Media
Schedule
from May 19, 2015 to May 30, 2015
Opening Reception on 2015-05-21 from 18:00 to 20:00