'Voluptasism'. Beauty & Aesthetics in sculpture form...

'Voluptasism', is from the root word Voluptas. (Greek name, Hedone.) In Greek mythology, Hedone is the daughter of Eros and Psyche. Eros is the god of love, his mother being Aphrodite. Hedone was a being born of pure light and love. (of course, considering who her lineage!) Her iconography is the wreath of white flowers. The tradition of wearing white flowers, or wearing white at weddings persists even to this day.

The flowers for this reason, are a tying theme in my works. This is what it is in reference to. You will see it constantly. You will see many symbols, the butterfly (Psyche), the arrows (Eros), and the sea shells (Aphrodite), but the flowers are most prevalent.

Socially and spiritually:

Obviously, marriage equality is very important to me. I view the symbolism of marriage as the ultimate fulfillment of happiness in life. Life is very short and fragile. Any number of things can bring harm and sadness. So then, in my own art I intentionally make the focus on happiness. Like artists from the neoclassical period, I will make constant references to what's called The Greek Golden Age. The Golden Age in my own words, was a time when there was no death, disease or famine. It is a time when the gods lived among humans, food grew plentiful, and Summer was eternal. It is an ideal that has been visited, and romanticized by artists throughout history. The long flowing hair in my works for example, is my personal ideal of what life will be like when cancer has been defeated. I do not like to focus on the bad, the suffering, rather I would like to focus on the good; the happiness.

It is for this reason, you will see me make constant references to the Golden Age. It is idealized throughout history as a time of goodness, and light.

 

LATEST WORK

Currently at the moment, I have made several maquettes, which are now being enlarged into larger sculptures. These days I am focused on the enlargement process of the male nude form. Early next year after I have finished creating a body of larger male nude works, I will proceed to continue with the female nudes. My focus with the female nude form, as you will see from the maquettes, is on the Art of Human Contortionism.

The Art of Human Contortionism, to me as an artist, is as much as an art form as the sculpture itself.

The categories are as listed to the left.