While we've now seen our share of hyperrealistic sculptures, Sam Jinks' are in a league of their own. An Australian sculptor who used to work in film and television special effects, Jinks not only creates unbelievably realistic sculptures, he's also the master of making us remember our own mortality. Made of silicone, fiberglass and human hair, his stunning sculptures appear in various stages of their life. In fact, take a look at the first sculpture, of an older woman and child, and you'll notice their tight embrace. As two humans who are at the beginning and end of their life stages, the sculpture highlights our own human fragility. What is the relationship between the older woman and the baby? Is the woman clinging onto her youthful past?
Then, take a look at Still Life (Pieta) (below) which was inspired by one of Michelangelo's masterpieces. In Jinks' interpretation, a modern man is holding a withering soul. The sculpture creates interesting juxtapositions of old and new, dead and alive. Still Life (Pieta)
Untitled (Baby)
The Hanging Man
“A naked man is hung up by the armpits at the far end of a room. He makes a sad impression, not just because of his dangling indisposition, but because of his diminutive proportions. Every visible detail of the skinny body is presented, but child-size.” Living Masks
(Sam Jinks working on one of his sculptures.) Both beautiful and achingly sad, Sam Jinks' sculptures will undoubtedly leave an impression on you. And while we can appreciate the meticulous detail and the amount of work that goes into creating each piece, we know that the real reason why we're thankful is because he makes us remember our own life and mortality…however fleeting that may be. Sam Jinks website
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