Using casts of the faces and limbs of real people, artist Pawel Althamer created a series of disturbing sculptures called 'Venetians.' The skeletal sculptures were made to symbolize lost Venetians. Each grey sculpture has a disfigured body with skin and organs ripped away. Combined with realistic body parts and faces, the installation creates a chilling effect.
Althamer positioned his sculptures to look as if the pieces were alive. Each skeletal human is seen frozen in time engaging in everyday activities. The artist wanted to strip away the body in order to reveal each Venetian's soul. According to Althamer, "the body is only a vehicle for the soul."
The surreal sculptures were made mostly from plastic. Working with plastic manufacturer Almech, Althamer created plastic casts of locals.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Surreal Sculptures
- Exploring the use of realistic body parts in sculptures can lead to disruptive innovation in the art world.
- Body as Symbol
- Examining the relationship between the body and the soul can lead to disruptive innovation in philosophical and spiritual practices.
- Plastic Casting
- Leveraging plastic manufacturing techniques for creating lifelike sculptures opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in the manufacturing industry.
Where This Applies
- Art
- Artists can incorporate realistic body parts into their sculptures to create a surreal and thought-provoking experience for viewers.
- Philosophy
- Philosophers can explore the metaphysical concept of the body as a vessel for the soul and the implications it has on human existence.
- Manufacturing
- Plastic manufacturers can expand their capabilities by collaborating with artists to produce lifelike sculptures using plastic casting techniques.
