Artist of the day: Artist of the Day, January 26, 2021: Paul Stein, a South African sculptor (#1480)

Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Artist of the Day, January 26, 2021: Paul Stein, a South African sculptor (#1480)

Paul Stein (1956) is an established South African sculptor who first discovered the magic and power of art as a child, when he was captivated by the photos his father would project onto a screen through Kodachrome slides. Despite the majority of his works carrying an abstract style, he draws heavily on life as we know it, shaping his sculptures to reflect the human spirit and allowing imagination to fill in the rest. His overall body of work is defined by curves and sweeping forms.

He was born in Johannesburg. His parents were part of the cultural scene in Johannesburg in the sixties and through them he was exposed to many of the artists of that era. His father was friendly with the Italian born South African sculptor Eduardo Villa. He have a Bachelor of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and live and work in Cape Town, South Africa.

"I am a sculptor who works primarily within the direct metal approach to making abstract sculpture, as opposed to the cast metal method. My raw materials are sheets of metal, which I shape towards the desired end. I am drawn towards simplicity in form and the idea of stating an idea with minimum fuss.

I find inspiration in many things. Contemporary Jewelry, the Architecture of our time, machinery from the Industrial era, the natural world, automobile design, contemporary design. I am also interested in the idea of fragmentation, of form, movement and implied movement in sculpture. How do you alter the static nature of sculpture, and make it come alive?

The place of sculpture in the contemporary world presents challenges. In a world where an increasing avalanche of design makes its voice heard in every 3D object where, chairs and buildings resemble sculpture. The eye is distracted by so many worked surfaces, pattern, color, and the quest of how to make the unique voice of contemporary sculpture heard remains challenging.

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