Wolfman, 1995

Plaster, acrylic paint – 240 × 225 × 225 mm

Wolfman is a significant piece within the Tardigrades cycle and serves as the sculptural counterpart to the collage series Animal Fragments. The work explores the intersections between primal, animalistic instincts and the complexity of human existence. It is a visual and aesthetic inquiry that reflects on the tension and simultaneity between natural being and civilized norms, while also engaging the boundaries between sculpture, painting, and collage.

The piece is the result of a meticulous, multi-stage creative process. The initial form was sculpted in clay, inspired by a composite montage of fragmented wolf photographs, which also served as the conceptual basis for the work. This montage functioned not merely as a visual reference but articulated the artist’s intention to express the embeddedness of animal instinct within the human form. From the clay head, a negative mould was produced, followed by a plaster cast that was further refined through carving to achieve its final character and surface texture.

The surface of the sculpture was then elaborated with polychromatic acrylic paint, deliberately blurring the line between sculpture and painting. The detailed brushwork and subtle gradations of color enhance the dynamism of the form and emphasize its organic quality. The intentional use of earth tones carries art-theoretical significance: it foregrounds the primitive impulses, archaic associations, and ancient strata of human nature.

Final refinements were made through the application of an archaizing patina. By selectively abrading the surface, visual traces were introduced that evoke prehistoric art and the remnants of early cultures. This layer is not merely an aesthetic element, but central to the work’s message: instinct, primal energy, and natural impulse are not relics of the past, but enduring, active forces within contemporary human existence. Furthermore, the worn surface stands as a reminder of erosion and transience as ever-present realities.

The gallery features the Wolfman sculpture and its details, as well as the collage that served as the basis for its creation.