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DEMCSÁK DÓRA VANDA: SCULPTURE IS THE LANGUAGE I USE WHEN I DON'T HAVE WORDS

The Hungarian artist tells us how her evolution has been since she decided to be an ethologist and then devote herself fully to sculpture. Her pieces are always influenced by one of her greatest passions: Animals. Especially the horse.

Nowadays she is working on a new project which is about transgeneration-issues





THE HORSE IS AN ANIMAL THAT YOU OFTEN REPEAT IN YOUR WORK…

Since I know my mind, I love and I am amazed by the horses. I can't say why. Just because I love their being, their movement. I can't get enough from them, and they have inspired me all the time.




DO YOU FEEL IDENTIFIED WITH THE HORSE?


The horse is a very complete animal. Basically it's a fugitive pray animal and has several meanings: the wild, the strong, the brave, the slave, etc... Thousand things I can express with its figure. It's a perfect symbol.




BRONZE, ALUMINUM AND IRON ARE YOUR FAVORITE MATERIALS? IS THERE ANY REASON WHY YOU ALWAYS CHOOSE THEM?

During my academic years, I tried out a dozen of materials. I worked in clay, plaster, wax, bronze, etc... That was clear I am not a carver, because I prefer the building up technics, I like working in expressive way, quickly with elan. By welding iron I have this freedom so I can change my mind as I am able to recompose the piece anytime. The other advantage is that in this way I work directly into the final material. There is no other work phase like with bronze casting.

But I like to make experiments with new materials and techniques, in this way my last works are joined together with wool, moss, and macrame yarn.




HOW IS THE PROCESS OF YOUR SCULPTURES?


There are two methods I use. First is about the joy and playing. I love the dynamic of animals and I love catching the most characteristic gesture of their movement.

The other is about express my inner issues. Usually these are wrestling feelings which I work out into creased plate form. I make sketches by creasing aluminium plate and later I zoom in and over component them in iron by welding.

Because creasing as gesture symbolises a lot of things for me. It inspires me in formal and content way as well. The creasing verb in the dictionary is: push, press, squeeze with hand that way the material becomes wrinkled. The plane shape steps into space, in this way changes dimension. For me this act, this transformation by an external effect is parallel with our inner emotional soul.



HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO BE A SCULPTOR? DID YOU HAVE SOME OTHER CAREER OR HOBBY THAT YOU LEFT BEHIND?

I've always had affinity to sculpting. Since my childhood I've loved touching materials and taking effect on them. The Fine Art was my way but I had a changing point during my primary school years. I wanted to be an ethologist so I chose biology faculty. Finally I missed Art so much and I returned to it. But I still love animals, they inspire me in my works.




HOW DO YOU FEEL YOUR WORK HAS EVOLVED SINCE YOU STARTED UNTIL TODAY?


Yes, of course. At the beginning I was amazed by only the classical, figurative sculptures and my early works were made in this spirit.

With the years my sculptures are turning into an expressive and much more abstract way. In my pieces I preserve the figurative roots but the focus is on the expression of emotions.



WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CONVEY THROUGH YOUR WORK?

Mostly my works are my Art therapy. I am an anxious person full with doubts, fears and questions about the world. Through my sculptures I can manifest these emotions and in this way I can process my issues. For me sculpture is a language I can use, it speaks anytime when I don't have words.



ARE YOU CREATING A NEW PROJECT RIGHT NOW?

Nowadays I am working on my new project which is about transgeneration-issues. I am searching my answers to these questions : What is my/our spiritual heritage from my/our parents, grandparents, ancestors. How can I/we handle, interrupt, change my/our family patterns.


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MP

For DareClan


Images provided by Dóra

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