A marble sculpture depicting the moment of metamorphosis, as described by the great poet Ovid, who lived the last years of his life in the port of Tomis (Constanța), being exiled from Rome in 8 AD and was buried about 9 years later in the same locality.
The moral of this sculpture is that eternal beauty is found exclusively in art. It captures the moment of metamorphosis, setting the silhouette of Galatea in motion, abandoning the eternal condition in favor of the perishable.
The free spaces, the meanings of the elements and the centrifugal covering, suggest movement, with the appearance of a supposed disorder that contradicts the static attitude of classicism, while the naked silhouette of Galatea benefits from restrained details that vaguely recall the classical manner. At the top of the sculpture, in front, is carved the negative sign of the hand of the goddess Aphrodite who gave life to the statue. The features of Galatea's face are vague, without details. After long hesitations between several variants, the author chooses to sculpt Pygmalion simply, without clothing details, to emphasize the importance of the body position and the facial expression of amazement and wonder in front of the miracle that has taken place. His face is slightly caricatured, expressive, specific to the contemporary style.

Pygmalion & Galateea

SKU: tt-30

$16,169.00

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Vasile Stefanoiu
1. Short biography Vasile Stefanoiu, a Romanian sculptor, believes art must convey a message and sees sculpture as a restorative force. He creates sustainable circular art using recycled and reused resources. The contemporaneity of his sculpture consists in the possibility of telling new messages with established techniques, moving from form to content, becoming an ideational art in which the concept takes precedence. His sculptures are dynamic, the theme of movement has appeared repeatedly in his recent works. In some of his sculptures, he brings back legends from Greek mythology and places them in different contexts, to create a new way of seeing in modern times. His recent works show the impact of digital acceleration on humanity, questioning whether it advances or limits creativity. His sculptures occupy a unique niche within contemporary art, one that pays homage to the technical mastery and thematic depth of the old masters while simultaneously engaging with the challenges and dichotomies of the modern era. His nuanced approach to form and content places him among those contemporary artists who seek to reconcile the digital age's fast-paced innovation with the contemplative rhythm of classical art. Exhibitions: Participation in exhibitions, physical, with sculptures in marble, wood or mixed: In 2025 • Kleine Weihnachten group exhibition at CityGallery Vienna, between November 30 and December 12, 2025. • TALENT AWARD to Winds of Change competition, Golden Duck Gallery Budapest, with a physical exhibition from September 2 - 26, 2025; • Ploiesti Romania International Art Biennial in September 2025; • Participation in the sixth edition of the International Visual Arts Competition, in the “Sculpture” section, Festival 4 Arts Snagov Romania, 1st special prize, in June 2025; • Personal sculpture exhibition on 67 sqm at Mobu Art Bucharest, an international art fair at the Romexpo Central Pavilion between May 27 - June 01, 2025; • Personal sculpture exhibition at the Buzau County Museum, 25 sculptures in marble, wood and stainless steel, March - April 2025; • Group exhibition at the I.C. Bratianu Buzau Cultural Center, April - May 2025; In 2024 • Ferrara Art Biennial – Italy, Nov. 2024; • MEAM Barcelona Art Biennial Oct. 2024; • Personal sculpture exhibition on 67 sqm at Mobu Art Bucharest, an international art fair at the Romexpo Central Pavilion between May 28 - June 02, 2024; In 2023 • Florence Art Biennale - Italy (2021 and 2023 editions); • “San Remo Art Biennale” in September 2023; Participated in numerous art exhibitions, solo or group, online, in the USA, Canada, Italy. Awards: •TALENT AWARD, Winds of Change competition TO Golden Duck Gallery Budapest; •The Artists from the French Coast Award in Nice •“Velasquez & Goya”, Barcelona 2024; • “PHOENIX” International Award in Venice, 2024; • “Best Contemporary Masters 2024”, in “Sculpture”; • “Michelangelo - Genius of Italy” Award, Rome 2023; • “Artist of the Year 2022” at the Artavita Gallery USA; Numerous other awards, “Honorable Mentions” and “Talent Awards”. Contact: Vasile Stefănoiu E-Mail: vasilestefanoiu09@gmail.com Website: vasilestefanoiu.ro Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vasile.stefanoiu ; vasile.stefanoiu https://www.facebook.com/vasilestefanoiu Phone: +40732 117 447 2. Artist's Statement: I am one of those sculptors who insists on making art in the traditional way, but without rejecting contemporary trends. So it is a total pleasure to create without putting in it the will to succeed, just to have fun, to be understood, to reach out to others to share my love for art, which has shaped my personality since childhood. I like to create a personal style that can be unique to my art and personality. All my subjects convey the same message: harmony for humanity through the fusion of opposing principles. My working technique is direct carving with traditional tools, chisels, drills and abrasives that I use by hand and where every chisel stroke is final. I carve on all sides in the "Ronde-bosse" system because it shows all around. In the last works I focus my message on the new language of the human body in relation to the dynamism propagated by digital technology that shaped its behavior. Human creativity seems abandoned in favor of accessing creativity offered by digital technology. In the contemporary era, the way we see and perceive art and things around us has changed almost exclusively through the phone or other internet-connected devices. Here is my motivation in approaching this contemporary theme. Marble, stone and wood are the most beautiful materials, nature itself speaks to me".

Pygmalion & Galateea

Artist / Művész

About artist / A művészről

Exhibition / Kiállítás

Materials / Anyagok

Dimensions / Méretek

Country / Ország

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