Italian sculptor Bruno Walpoth’s incredible human figures created from wood….
They look so human and yet the fabulous statues made by the Italian artist are actually carved from… wood! Nevertheless, there is a sense of life and humanity in the figures, which often look quite thoughtful.
“Slow awaking”, 2021, walnut
Bruno Walpoth was born in Italy in 1959.
He is an Italian Sculptor. From 1978 to 1984 he attended the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, where he studied with Professor Hans Ladner.
Later, he was a teacher at the professional school for sculptors in Selva Val Gardena (1985-2008). Together with Willy Verginer and Walter Moroder, he founded the Trisma group of sculptors in 1996. Since 2000 he has been a member of the Südtiroler Künstlerbund.
“Think before talking”, 2013, walnut
Bruno Walpoth’s human figures created from lime or walnut are the result of his encounters and relationships with models. On a scale of one to one, bodies, lines and forms (…) take shape from the block of wood by means of his hands. Although Walpoth is attracted to the production of concrete likenesses, (…) in its outward appearance, the model serves as a covering surface for implicit projections.
“Die Fremde – The stranger” 2019, walnut and linden
The sculptor uses a semi-translucent paint to coat his sculptures to ensure that the wood grains are visible.
Nevertheless, there is a sense of life and humanity in the figures, which often appear quite pensive.
“Sitting women”, 2017, walnut
Bruno Walpoth creates extraordinary human sculptures entirely in wood. Working harmoniously with the grain, the textural imperfections of the sculptures almost pay homage to the spirit of the trees from which they originate – suggesting perhaps that humans are at one with nature.
Most of the figures he sculpts are young men and women, whose bodies are at the peak of their development, graceful in form, with slender limbs, exquisite facial features, fewer clothes, a calm temperament, squinted eyes and who generally look haggard. They all avoid direct eye contact with others, showing an introverted side.
At the same time, there seems to be a breathing soul and a very distinctive personality in these sober woodcarvings. Some of the skins are left with rough carving marks, some are polished rougher, and some are also coloured all over, “completely bleached”.
Whatever the outward expression, whatever the embodied posture, the artist’s sculptures exude a quiet, gentle tension, they never stand out, but they are silently attractive and gentle enough to catch people’s attention. Silent, powerful, beautiful, sublime, melancholic, nostalgic, lonely. They come alive, they have a story and a soul!
” Bei mir – with me » 2012, walnut |
These surprisingly realistic sculptures of human beings in wood provoke a spellbinding emotion.
The artist’s figurative sculptures celebrate both the human body and the soul of the wood.
“Nora”, 2021, walnut
Each sculpture evokes human feelings and, if the flesh still seems to palpitate, it moves away from its source leaving the wood to become the impalpable element where the breath of the body surrenders to silence.
“Miss you”, 2016, linden
“Silence, as it was before
Never by the torn whisper”.
Samuel BECKETT
Um trabalho notável! Como é que é possível imprimir num tronco de uma arvore corpos tão humanos, com posturas tão humanas? Além distos, esta escultuturas carregam alma, elas têm sentimento. En cada uma das suas posturas podemos encontrar nostalgia, reconhecimento e tristeza!
obrigado Sandra
Fascinant…Hypnotique!
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