Sculptor Creates Portraits Of Historical Figures By Using Industrial Metal Wires

Using iron, brass, stainless steel, and copper wires to bring the past to life, Romanian sculptor Darius Hulea masterfully mixes contemporary and classical. Those industrial materials assist Hulea as he “sketches” in three dimensions, molding the metals into recognizable portraits. With his work, he gives the great intellectuals and artists of history a new meaning.

Hulea was perhaps first pushed into the art of sculpture through his exposure to the folk crafts found in the village where he lived during his youth. According to My Modern Met, his grandmother and great grandmother wove traditional geometric fabrics still used today. On the other hand, his grandfather worked with agricultural tools, giving Hulea early insight into the power of industrial materials. This translated into a switch from painting to sculpture, where Hulea could combine his interests.

Though contemporary in material and execution, Hulea’s work is grounded in the principals of classical drawing. The skilled sculptor uses wires of differing widths to translate the quick pencil strokes of a sketch. Rather than viewing these fragmented lines on paper, they’re placed in three dimensions to create the look and feel Hulea is after.

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