League

Finding Meaning, Creating
Emotions
Creating an abstract form is not an
easy process. First, one needs to
invent, not copy reality. Second, one
needs to find meaning and create
emotions that can and should go
beyond race or culture in order to
produce connections among human
beings. In spite of our differences,
everybody should be stimulated
according to his or her state of mind.
This complexity is best achieved in
abstract forms because the possibilities
are unlimited. The beauty
of the abstract form is that one can
interpret the final piece any way one
desires, according to one’s own inspiration
and mood. This freedom, to
interpret it in an individual manner
when viewing the sculpture, gives
the piece its ultimate richness.
I usually choose not to name my
sculptures because by attaching a
title, one limits the viewer’s imaginaof
all ages and races and from various
countries. For almost three years, I have
had the privilege of learning from excellent
instructors like Leonid Lerman.
There is something very enjoyable and
satisfying in doing what you really like. I
find that making art involves the physical
and spiritual inner forces that exist in me
and that I want to express. My sculptures
combine many aspects of my personality:
sensuality, intuition, softness, rudeness,
spontaneity, and technical abilities. The
result is a piece of art that contains and
combines many of these contradictory
elements. Stone has a special meaning
for me; like a human being, it needs to be
handled with prudence and patience. If
you apply too much force, it may break.
But if you treat it with care, it will reveal its
wonders. Viewers are free to interpret the
piece according to how they feel at the
particular moment of their lives.
About Stone
I work in various stones that come from
all over the world: Brazil, Turkey, Israel, the
United States, Egypt, Italy, and Afghanistan
to name a few The color, texture, roughness,
or smoothness of the stone are
important to me because they reflect the
diversity that exists on the planet and in its
peoples.
Stone carving is a great challenge: It
is a delicate medium and at any stage of
work it could break. This is particularly true
toward the end, because this is when the
stone reveals itself and becomes vulnerable
… like a human being! The artist conducts
a constant dialogue with the stone,
and she needs to be sensitive and attentive
at each touch. In my opinion, working with
stone is the ultimate communication between
human beings and inorganic material.
It teaches even the brash and arrogant
how to be gentle and patient.
Stone is full of mysteries and surprises.
The initial rock may seem rigid, hard, and
inflexible, but under the skilled touch
of an artist it becomes soft and delicate.
Even though it appears at first as an
incoherent mass of gray matter, it
possesses its own logic and harmony,
which it reveals only gradually during
the sculpting process.
TRAVEL
tion. Without a title, the work opens to the
mind’s eye, allowing it to inspire people
in different ways. My own inspiration and
respect go to artists like Jackson Pollock,
Henry Moore, Georgia O’Keeffe, Isamu Noguchi,
René Magritte, Constantin Brancusi,
and many others who went their ways with
courage and determination.
Please Touch
My sculptures are more than just a visual
experience—you are welcome to touch
them! Contact with the stone is a powerful
experience. Try it and see how it affects the
way you conceive the sculpture and how
you connect to it. But do keep in mind:
Sculpting is a long and difficult process.
This past summer was an exciting
time for me. Leonard Tourné Gallery exhibited
my work, and I was chosen to
be exhibited in the Sculpture Garden at
Art Southampton.
www.FortunaSzpiro.com
From left: Norvegian Rose; Utah Stone
FALL 2015 11
PERSPECTIVES