Sculptures

“Humanitas” - Gilded parlor totems

Venice Biennale -2024

ECC/European Culture Centre - "Personal Structures" - April 20th to Nov 26th 

“Humanitas” explores the colliding worlds of invention, discoveries, and specimens from the natural realm in totemic conceptual form. Throughout time, humanity's enthrallment with nature has intertwined with efforts to control and tame it, often at the expense of its intrinsic beauty and freedom. The triptych sculptures explore human creations and withering, its attraction to natural history and the temptation of material desires.

Drawing on the Victorian fascination with "Parlor Domes," which exhibited an array of curiosities and collectibles under glass, the gilded totems seek to capture the essence of wonder and timelessness, akin to being submerged in “water”, the mythical fountain of youth. Through the storytelling power of objects fashioned into totems, they invite reflection on our intricate connection and the weight of responsibility in the act of creation. Their quadrilateral vault serves as a poignant echo of storage containers, symbolizing the pervasive culture of accumulation and overconsumption.

The artist repurposes discarded materials as a medium to contemplate our world today. Meticulously arranged, discarded electronics and natural elements like elephant bones are juxtaposed with everyday objects such as TV remotes, creating a realm ripe for exploration and unexpected revelations. The artist’s jeweler background enhances the objects with gold foil, an age-old technique. The sculptures' significance is enriched by gold's multifaceted symbolism, synonymous with concepts of divinity, immortality, and power. Purposely straying away from perfection, the work is entirely created by eye measurement, leaving bubbles and curved edges as a form of childish revolt to mass production.