Beautifully made work that also makes you laugh? LOVE! This is the gorgeous/cheeky work Barcelona based artist Gerard Mas. After scrolling through his portfolio, it appears that Gerard sculpts in any medium he can get his very talented hands on … from wood and alabaster, to clay and in this case, resin.
Gerard Mas is a Spanish artist (Sant Feliu de Guixols, 1976) who approaches his sculptures with an exceptional sense of humor. The statues resemble busts from the 15th century Florentine period, but in the very contemporary vision of Mas. With his sculptures he creates a dialogue between tradition and modernity. Mas is particularly interested in the visual image and less in its historical meaning, perhaps as a paradigm of our current society in which image increasingly replaces content.
Although his work shows a great aesthetic affinity with the traditional – which is also evident in the use of his favorite materials: marble, alabaster, wood and resin – changing the invisible code of ethics is an important key in the artist’s process. The sculptures of the ‘Dama’ series are a good example of absurd and grotesque combinations.
The women’s faces are sweet and charming, soft and delicate, often with a pearly white skin that implies innocence, but at the same time, for example, a cheeky, inflated gum ball breaks through the illusion and idealistic perfection of her beauty, as in the ‘Dama del Chicle’ busts , and a surprising shock effect is created. ~ via Absolute Art Gallery, Belgium
The sunburn is my fave… or the bubblegum… ooh, or the nose-picker. Tough call.
“The women’s faces are sweet and charming, soft and delicate, often with a pearly white skin that implies innocence, but at the same time, for example, a cheeky, inflated gum ball breaks through the illusion and idealistic perfection of her beauty…”
I believe it’s important to think about what language like this–pearly white skin signaling innocence and idealistic standards of perfection and beauty–implies about black skin. Not saying this is intentional, but so many of the ways in which whiteness is centered as good and desirable are unconscious and subtle, but still harmful to BIPOC. Love the work, but hope that viewers who read the statement apply a critical lens of awareness to the messages it sends.
For me, this is a potent reminder that the women depicted in art are often adolescents. I love how these images juxtapose societal expectations of this age across half a millennium.
I love the combination of delicate beauty with behaviour deemed inappropriate in polite society – delightfully funny!
I agree with the first Jen here, I thought the statement that the pearly white skin implying innocence was a bit tone deaf. How does skin color imply innocence? Love how this work is both beautiful and funny, though:)
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] Madrid’deyseniz, Mas’ın heykellerini şurada görebilirsiniz: Yazdır 8-11 Nisan arası. Aksi takdirde, figüratif çalışmalarının daha geniş bir koleksiyonunu inceleyin. onun sitesi ve Instagram. (üzerinden Kıskanç Küratör) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]
[…] If you’re in Madrid, you can see Mas’s sculptures at Estampa from April 8 to 11. Otherwise, peruse a larger collection of his figurative works on his site and Instagram. (via The Jealous Curator) […]