Harumi Klossowska de Rola is a sculptor and designer whose practice reflects a profound admiration and connectedness with the natural world. Her artworks are a testament to the wonder of nature, exploring the deep and historic connections between mankind, the animal kingdom and the spiritual world. The natural environment has always provided a wealth of inspiration for Klossowska; growing up in the Swiss Alps, where she lives and works to this day, she was immersed in nature, sparking a lifelong fascination. Today, the wild animals inhabiting the forests around her home still provide the foundation for her artworks, alongside inspirations drawn from creatures of distant lands. Over the years she has developed a unique and sensitive rendering of creatures great and small, often fusing the aesthetic with the functional and creating, in her words, ‘something that you can wear, or you can exhibit on a shelf’.
Through creating her works in bronze, Klossowska enters into a tradition that stretches back millennia. Early civilisations began creating statues to celebrate their deities and heroes, immortalising them in bronze, thus beginning a long history of bronze statuary of both human and animal figures. The influence of such early cultures, especially the Egyptians and the Inca – for whom animals and nature offered an earthly connection to the divine – is a constant presence in Klossowska’s works. The creatures represented in her sculptures combine earthly forms with an otherworldly essence, alluding to ancient gods and goddesses.
Klossowska's practice involves extensive drawing and modelling prior to the casting process, which takes place in collaboration with skilled artisans, following which the artist hand finishes each work to achieve her particular vision. Characterised by an ethereal and poetic quality that bears testament to her creative spirit, Klossowska's sculptures evoke a sensuality deeply intertwined with the very materials she employs. This blending of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary sensibilities offers viewers a timeless experience in an era witnessing a renewed interest in painting and sculpture.
Klossowska de Rola began her career as a designer of haute joaillerie, and has since created pieces for luxury brands including Boucheron, Chopard, Valentino and Goossens. In recent years, she has focussed on her sculptural practice. Her works are today in private collections internationally, including the UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, the United States and South Korea.
Hayawan
