Inside the Studio

George Pavel’s Dialogue Between Form and Space

What are the major themes you pursue in your work?

The relationship between man and the universe is the main theme of my sculptures. I believe that the human being is actually a big Universe in itself. The dialogue between form and space, light and shadow, is the main feature of the architecture of my work. My forms have a dialogue with the space. They even begin to be movable on their own. Through their compositional structure and dynamic character they are adjacent to the infinity. Due to space being a sculptural element, a moldable material, the sculpture appears open, full of energy.

How did you first get interested in your medium, and what draws you to it specifically?

Sculpting bronze, steel, alabaster or marble is a form of artistry unlike any other.  They are solid, durable and malleable medium capable of being transformed into just about anything the imagination can fathom, like colossal sculpture abstractions but also delicate small-scale art pieces. My formal vocabulary acts diversified with various forms, but with an unmistakable fondness for the vertical. Besides simulating a high-flying, I deal with the spatial part in compact structures.

How has your style and practice changed over the years?

My style changed from a young passion in to a complex vision. I’m trying to create metaphorical shapes, and fit them into the wider context of the Universe. This is why these shapes will always transpose you into the Universe, make you think about the objects’ motion in the Universe. My sculptures produce aesthetic emotions through the harmony between polished and unpolished surfaces.

Can you walk us through your process? Do you begin with a sketch, or do you just jump in? How long do you spend on one work? How do you know when it is finished?

The act of creation is actually casting a dream. Many of my shapes are dreamt before being realised. After ‘dreaming’ a shape, an idea, I’m trying to illustrate them through drawings. Then, I start to mold these thoughts, to give them an actual shape. After getting the sculpture from the foundry and doing the polishing, I start applying the patina. The patina makes it look noble and emphasizes the contrast between light and shade, between the intensity of the color and the surfaces of the sculpture, as well as the ‘empty’ versus ‘full’ dynamics.

Who are some of your favorite artists and why?

I found a new form of dialogue with the open space, the one which the world famous Romanian artist Brancusi had opened in the early twentieth century.  What inspires me even today are his words: “Simplicity is not an end in art, but we usually arrive at simplicity as we approach the true sense of things.

Prefer to work with music or in silence?

I do enjoy working with music in background. I do feel that that the environment we experience influences our creative process. When we experience variations in lighting, colors on the walls, different smells, and different types of sounds, they evoke different feelings within us and in turn these sensory experiences invade our creative process.

About the Author

Evangelyn Delacare is the Associate Curator at Saatchi Art. Need help finding art? Contact her via our free Art Advisory service at saatchiart.com/artadvisory.