Skip to main content

The Beautifully Grotesque Wax Sculptures of Sigrid Sarda


There are two types of reactions to seeing Sigrid Sarda's work: turning away or moving in closer. Sigrid, a talented sculptor based in New York, creates unbelievably detailed and delicate-looking human figures made of wax. She's been carving beautifully grotesque pieces for many years now, but for over 30 years she was a painter. Due to the death of her father and the psychological aftermath she experienced, she quit painting.

Sigrid's sculptures are life-size wax pieces built on hand wrought armatures, sometimes real human bones upon which she hand-models cast faces and other body parts. Be sure to check out her blog or follow her on Instagram for information on exhibitions and more of her fabulous work.

Artist Statement:
"Sigrid Sarda constructs life-size human figures made of wax incorporating human remains in the tradition of the doll as a magical object. The figures become talismans, reliquaries housing human bones. Each tableaux, in tradition of the diorama, is peppered with the grotesque, comic and at times empathetic life-size characters along with backdrops of popular cultural and biblical icons, engaging in what our culture deems acceptable by today's standards. Borrowing from fables, allegories and fairytales Sarda creates nightmarish vignettes of her own personal malaise blurring the lines of the assumption of the hero/villain and the universal concepts of archetypical imagery. With her characteristic dark humor, Sarda creates a world of flipped morality and a decaying system of values run amok."



Labels:

Comments

  1. JohnApril 19, 2016 at 1:43 PM

    hi...I found you on the internet!...it was so nice talking to you today...I know as much about wax works as you do about investing.....I was drawing at the Art Students League for a few years and then suddenly stopped a year ago...with me fatigue was a factor, fatigue and distractions.. ...anyway, I enjoyed talking to you, grown up or not...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nike Blazer Mid 77 Scribble

When I was in high school, doodling on kicks was a thing. How cool to come into class, learn a few things, then walk out with a pair of scribbled-on sneakers. Even today, many basketball stars are using their shoes for much more than performance. Take a close look at their trainers and you'll find messages written all over. Now Nike is celebrating the process with the release of its Blazer Mid 77 Scribble. Aside from the hand-drawn sidewall Swoosh, the shoe also has smaller notes hidden all over, including the style name and the year it was made. The tongue is also equipped with the brand's logo, which has been hand-drawn in black. I really like the design, especially the imperfect lines. And since we're talking about scribbled-on sneakers, I can't not mention Niko Pelaez . He's a true shoe-drawing machine!  [h/t: Sneaker News ]
Post a Comment
Read more

Hand-Painted Movie Posters by Tony Stella

In the 70s and 80s movie theaters in Manila were usually standalone buildings with nice seats and red curtains. To sell tickets, cinemas needed to advertise their offerings. But they did not have the original posters, or the means to print alternatives. So they made their own, commissioning local artists to hand-paint them. I really miss those hand-painted posters and billboards, which conveyed an artistry that was a form of visual hyperbole. But hand-made objects always have a way of returning. In this digital age, people will always look for things made by hand. I recently stumbled across the work of Tony Stella, whose genuinely cool movie posters have caught the eye of film enthusiasts and art lovers worldwide. He likes to work in watercolor and ink wash but sometimes he will make an oil painting, depending on the film. Tony's very active on social media, and his Tumblr blog contains a massive collection of illustrated movie posters that are often better than the original. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Salimbaa

Here's a strange tribal instrument I never heard of before now. Originally from the Tinananon tribe of southern Philippines, the bowl-shaped Salimbaa is made of metal and wood, has 30 bronze wound strings, and is played using two small sticks.  Caleb Byerly, who makes lost/extinct musical tools in his North Carolina workshop, has an interesting story on how he made his first Salimbaa. WATCH: More details about Caleb and his craft over at  Our State .
Post a Comment
Read more