Sculpture "Modern Life" (2021), bronze
Sculpture "Modern Life" (2021), bronze
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ars mundi Exclusive Edition | limited, 99 copies | numbered | signed | foundry hallmark | certificate | bronze + concrete | chiselled | polished | patinated | total size approx. 24 x 14.5 x 13.5 cm (h/w/d) | weight approx. 3.1 kg
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Sculpture "Modern Life" (2021), bronze
"It's the details that count" is the mantra of sculptor Leo Wirth, and each of his works makes it obvious how serious he is about this. That also applies to his depiction of everyday people, which he is particularly interested in, people that any of us might meet on the street.
"Modern Life" shows this par excellence: the young couple appears ordinary and emphatically contemporary in every respect, and yet, it is worked in detail far beyond clothing, accessories, fabric structure and drapery. Because when Wirth talks about the details that matter, he does not just mean the craftsmanship but, above all, the implementation of the smallest, precisely observed gestures, which he picks up on and makes visible in the work of art. It is the young man's casual gait, his arm casually draped over his companion's shoulder, and her confidently roaming gaze that really brings "Modern Life" to life. It is obviously a couple "at eye level", who - whether in friendship or in love - feel they belong together and walk through life with great affection for each other.
Bronze sculpture, cast using the Lost-Wax-Process, chiselled by hand, polished and patinated. On a concrete base. Limited edition of 99 copies, numbered, signed and hallmarked with the foundry stamp. With numbered certificate of authenticity and limitation. Size incl. pedestal approx. 24 x 14,5 x 13.5 cm (w/h/d). Weight approx. 3.1 kg. ars mundi Exclusive Edition.
Producer: ars mundi Edition Max Büchner GmbH, Bödekerstraße 13, 30161 Hanover, Germany, [email protected]
About Leo Wirth
"It's the details that count" is the motto of sculptor Leo Wirth, and in each of his works, it is obvious how seriously he means it.
Leo Wirth works figuratively. With great dedication to detail, his works (portraits of people, fountain sculptures, religious and mythological motifs such as St. Francis or the Roman fertility goddess Ceres) come alive.
The same applies to his depiction of everyday people, which he is particularly interested in; people that any of us might run into on the street. His sculptures deal with human strengths and weaknesses and the challenges of life. It is easy to recognise oneself in those small, often humorous everyday life scenes. In their skilful execution, the realistic but also expressive sculptures are inviting to contemplate and reflect.
Leo Wirth, born in 1956, graduated from the technical school for wood and stone sculpture in Elbigenalp/Tyrol in 1989 as the best graduate of his year. Afterwards, he decided to start his own business as a freelance sculptor. His success proved him right. Today his large sculptures can be found in public places in Dorum by the North Sea ("Deicharbeiter") to Isny in the Allgäu ("Neidhammelbrunnen").
An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times. It is an ideal metal for high-quality artistic castings, capable of enduring for millennia.
When casting bronze, the artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. This is the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.
First, the artist forms a model of their work. This model is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber mass. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out, leaving a negative mould. Liquid wax is then poured into the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax cast is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, where the wax melts away (lost mould).
Finally, the negative mould is ready, into which the 1400° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken apart, reavoling the sculpture.
Next, the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist or by a specialist, following their instructions. Thus, each casting is an original work.
For lower-quality bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used, which, however, does not achieve the results of a more elaborate lost-wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.
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A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.
While sculptures made of wood, ivory, or stone are carved directly from the material block, in bronze casting, a working model is prepared at first. Usually, it is made of clay or other easily mouldable materials.
The prime time of sculpture after the Greek and Roman antiquity was the Renaissance. Impressionism gave a new impulse to the sculptural arts. Contemporary artists such as Jorg Immendorf, Andora, and Markus Lupertz also enriched sculptures with outstanding works.