"Narratives"

The Arthouse
6-25 August 2002

Paul Deans considers his approach to sculpting in wood to be a collaborative process between himself, the materials and his intuition. In "Narratives" Deans has used the human form as a means of investing new energy and life in timber, and to create objects of great beauty.

Deans has used a variety of different types of wood in these eight sculptures, and consequently, each piece is unique in its style and character. The degree to which the natural qualities of the material have been utilized also varies greatly. In "Moonlight Sonata I" and "Moonlight Sonata II", two portrait busts in macrocarpa and cherry respectively, the knots and grain have been exploited to express musculature and physical features. By contrast, in "Debonair" the form is so perfectly modelled by the pattern of grain that is appears as though the positioning and shape of the sculpture has been dictated by the natural features of the wood.

Deans' sculptures also vary in the degree of naturalism in their execution. In "Icon" the pale, silky finish and less prominent grain of linden lime are used to approximate human flesh. Deans has playfully left the bark of the wood to create a cloak draped around the figure's shoulders. In "Totara Recall" the past-life of the timber exists in perfect synthesis with its renewed existence as a finely rendered male torso of classical proportions. Once a tar-covered beam from an aqueduct, the front has been left as it was found, complete with rusty nails, while the back has been carved and finished to perfection.

"Victory Dance of the Peacemaker" is the most abstract of the works in this show, but clearly embodies the artist's intention to unleash the potential within each piece of wood to tell its own tale. A stylised figure dances across the plinth with arms flung aloft. Its solid, blocky form is offset by sharp angles, which exaggerates the movement and energy of the figure. This effect of capturing the dynamism of the human body in motion is reminiscent of the Italian Futurist sculptor, Umberto Boccioni's "Unique Forms of Continuity in Space" (1913). However, while Boccioni derived his inspiration from the power of new technologies and the might of Europe literally striding into the future, Deans' figure evokes celebration and joy. Inspired by the events surrounding September 11th, the energy encapsulated in "Victory Dance of the Peacemaker" conjures up an essential statement of humanity and a call for peace and goodwill.

Christine Whybrew, August 2002