Sculpture As A Form of Art

Across history, mankind has felt a higher urge to bring the intangible like Sculpture as A Form of escrita com luz art.  The spiritual to the tangible material realm. One such form of transcendental transmutation is sculpture art. It allowed humans to represent and worship the elements of life that were shrouded in mystery, as early as from the Stone Age.

In this article, we will take a closer look into how man has used his hands to sculpt his inner light. And the things beyond him, in the philosophy of Escrita com Luz.

Sculpture As a Form of Art in the Ancient World

There is indeed evidence of every culture and civilization on Earth using sculpture art with some religious or spiritual purpose.

Mythical stories around creation all across the world imply heavily that higher forces sculpted everything that exists. And the predilect way to represent these higher beings, aside from painting, has been sculpting.  One of the most ancient findings related to this is the Venus of Willendorf, a statuette of a plump woman. Believed to represent a goddess of fertility and abundance.

Another notable finding associated with the ancient civilizations established in present-day Iran. Show statuettes which served as deputies for the gods these people worshiped.

Sculpture Art in the West

In the Western World, we have two notable examples, being from two parallel civilizations, Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Both Romans and Greeks represented their deities through marble sculptures of notable anatomic accuracy and idealization. Being these the ultimate embodiment’s of beauty, grace, balance, and power.

A second example, are the sculptures dedicated to the Saints and Visions of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Appointed by the Roman Catholic Church.

Such sculptures reflect the story, struggles and virtues of each Saint. And the message by every Advocacy of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is commonly represented in one of three forms. All equally of high symbolic value: carrying the Cross, nailed to the Cross in agony and transfigured.

Sculpture Art in the East

We can divide the Eastern trends into three large regions: the Middle East, India, and China.

Middle East

In the Middle East, sculptures tend to represent Light and Divinity in their animal incarnations. Hence it’s very common to find golden, stone, and brass statues with characteristics both human and animal. There is also an element very present in Abrahamic religions. That the myth of creation portrays God sculpting man out of clay. This would also take the form of a religious prohibition to sculpt religious idols.

India

Sculpture art in India shares the same principle of blending human and animal characteristics. Along with bright shades of blue and red that transcend the earthy tones of the eternal plane and define nobility and godhood.

China

In China though, the complexity of the techniques and the plethora of materials used far exceeds their neighbors. Geometrical sculptures are found at almost every building, especially the temples. Geometric, ephemeral art of the mandalas made by Taoist monks. Paper folding made by priests and wealthy particulars to make offerings to their ancestors. Which would become the precursor of origami.

Craftsmanship in the jade and terracotta statuettes representing animal spirits and present in every home. Among many other notable examples that form the culture of China and its neighboring countries.

Sculpture Art in the New World

In America, sculpture art took highly religious significance in the Precolumbine Era.

Evidence of this is found in totem poles made in North America. In scared statuettes all across Mesoamerican civilizations and the South American nomad tribes. Their myths regarding creation also involved the Gods or the Anima Mundi sculpting mankind out of the elements in some North American accounts. Or out of corn in Mesoamerican lore.

Modern Sculpture as A Form

As techniques, technology and creative possibilities have evolved, the sacred intention of mankind to materialize the light within has only changed for the better.

Now we have dynamic and kinetic sculptures, which represent the passing of light through space and give the sensation of motion. As in the chromatic etudes from Venezuelan artist Cruz-Diez. Opportunity of studying any culture and era to find a unique way to express our inner light with our hands. Even the possibility to sculpt with light itself.