Surreal Sculptures of Contorted Clay Faces Reinterpret Reality

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Work in Progress”

Using “realist sculptural techniques accompanied by surrealist imagination,” self-taught artist Johnson Tsang taps into his subconscious to reinterpret reality. For years, we've been drawn to Tsang's mind-bending body of work, which he has continued to cultivate with a new batch of clay portraits.

Titled Lucid Dream II, Tsang's most recent series of contemporary sculptures is rendered in his signature, surreal style. Featuring expressive and emotive topsy-turvy faces, his work remains undeniably dreamlike and unsettlingly lifelike. What sets many of these pieces apart from his past work, however, is an increasingly avant-garde approach, evident in everything from his uncharacteristic use of glaze to the presence of mixed media.

Still, even if his sculptures are slightly more experimental, Tsang will never abandon clay, a medium he's loved since childhood. “I have tried different materials for my sculpture. I did search for any possibility of using other materials, exploring new directions, wishing to create greater work. Then, a question from inside arose: ‘Is that what you really love?' ” he explained in 2016. “Somehow, my answer was so clear: I love working with clay. There is love and peace in it that interacts with my subconsciousness. What else do I need?”

To see how Tsang's relationship with clay has molded his practice, stop by his website.

Johnson Tsang reinterprets reality with his surreal sculptural faces.

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Remembrance”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Here and There”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Here and There” (Detail)

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Under the Skin”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Lawful Custody”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Extrication”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Love in Progress”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Falling in Love”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

“Unveiled”

Lucid Dream II Clay Face Sculptures Surreal Face Johnson Tsang

Johnson Tsang: Website | Facebook | Behance
h/t: [Colossal]

All images via Johnson Tsang.

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Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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