Bronze sculpture Mario Dalpra 2020

Austria-born Mario Dalpra is a versatile artist, who works as a painter and sculptor, focusing on the respective technique in alternating phases. In 2006 he realized his first bronze works. In the following years, he devoted himself to this technique, and bronze sculptures became “signature” objects in his oeuvre. The artist prefers to spend the cold winter months in Indonesia, where under his supervision many of his designs are congenially manufactured by trusted assistants.

Characteristic of his cast bronze sculptures are flowing, organic forms. This small “Indomitable” bears a rather figurative shape and reminds of a reclining female figure. Not only its melodic contours fascinate the beholder, but also its surface lacquered in a warm silver tone.

Dalpra pays special attention to the surface design of his sculptures. The artist himself stated in an interview: “The climax came with the lacquering. I began to paint, to put on lacquer again, to add a third layer of lacquer. (…) But then I realized: there is no such thing as perfection. Some sculptures still get mistakes, sort of injuries. And that calmed me.” * Thus, the silver-plated surface of this sculpture also has occasional imperfections, as a sign of vulnerability and the impossibility of perfection.

*M. Dalpra in an interview with Brigitte Mühlbauer, Mario Dalpra 01. Burning Skin. Sehnsucht nach Perfektion (Longing for perfection), Bucher publ., Hohenems 2020, p. 30