Paola Beck

I do sculpture since i was 15 years old. My teacher since then has been Marcela Arbide, an amazing artist from La Esmeralda. She happens to be my aunt as well. It is one of my favorite things to do in the world, and I am so thankful that she guided me through this world since so young.

This is my first sculpture in wood. It was a 30 m long piece of white cedar wood from my grandfathers land, and it was an honor and adventure to work specially on this piece. I used no machines, just a handsaw to smooth down the texture in the end.

It took me more than a year to do it, and its titled “Schnecke” that means snail in german. Snails where part of my childhood and a mean neighboor kid used to throw them against the wall. That will remain forever in my memories.

Schnecke, 2010

Clay

Wood

The next piece is called “Ti prendo e ti porto via”, inspired by one of my favorite books, from Niccoló Ammaniti. It it my first piece in white marble, and the process was very hardcore. First you do the figure in clay, and then in plaster cast. Then a master marbler turns a block of marble into your sculpture, without details, just the proportions, using laser and cutting with a diamond. And then, you work on the piece using a huge pneumatic hammer. That is the hardest and most difficult technique i have ever done, and I cannot understand how Michelangelo did his pieces without electric energy, light or any motorized instrument:

Il David

La Pietá

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Ti prendo e ti porto via

Clay

2007

White Marble

2011

This is the post about the exhibition where it was part: Espacio Flexible, La Quiñonera

Die Taube, 2011

This clay piece is still in process, it is drying out so that it can be burned.

The next one is from a few years ago, and its plaster cast and an acrylic patina. It was a gift for my mother:

No title, 2006

This piece is the oldest from this selection, I dont remember when I did it. Its basically a very confortable woman. Its cement.