A Jurney throught Wood and Wonderment
The Shamanistic World of Mykolas Sauka's Art
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Mykolas Sauka in his studio in Vilnius
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The Children’s Room, an exhibition by Mykolas Sauka, delves into a universe as fascinating as it is unsettling, exploring the intricacies of human existence and the world around us. Beneath its innocent title lies a world far from idyllic, where a veil of purity seems to envelop the exhibited works. The deformed and enigmatic bodies that populate this space captivate the eye, amplifying the contrast between the apparent safety suggested by the title and the strange and complex reality that unfolds before visitors.
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The exhibition’s title, seemingly innocuous, serves as a poignant irony, suggesting a space of innocence yet unveiling a darker, more enigmatic reality upon closer inspection. This juxtaposition mirrors Sauka’s exploration of dichotomies—beauty and ugliness, purity and corruption, creation and destruction—all encapsulated within the organic contours of his sculptures. Each piece becomes a microcosm of human experience, resonating with narratives of vulnerability, resilience, and the inexorable passage of time. Entering this room, we confront ourselves, our fears, and our oddities, realizing that our subconscious sometimes accepts strangeness as a given.
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Mykolas Sauka, a talented sculptor, breathes life into wood through an ancient artisanal process, thus merging tradition with contemporaneity. Sauka’s mastery lies not only in his technical skill but in his ability to evoke profound emotional and intellectual responses through his sculptures. Each piece in The Children’s Room challenges viewers to confront the fragility and resilience of the human body, transcending mere physical form to explore deeper metaphysical and existential questions. Through deliberate distortions and fragmentations, Sauka disrupts conventional notions of bodily integrity, inviting reflection on the fluidity and impermanence of identity and physicality.
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Central to Sauka’s artistic ethos is his reverence for tradition while embracing the avant-garde. His sculptures, crafted with meticulous attention to detail using time-honored techniques of woodcarving, carry echoes of ancient votive traditions yet manifest in contemporary forms that challenge and provoke. By infusing his work with social commentary and philosophical inquiry, Sauka transcends the purely aesthetic, transforming his sculptures into vehicles for dialogue on the complexities of modern existence.
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Inspired by religious art and its symbolic representations of bodies and organs—associating with the sacral ‘votum’ tradition, meaning sacrifice, wish, promise—this inspiration leads the artist to explore themes of deformation, mutilation, and transformation. His sculptures reveal a world where voluntary bodily alterations (for example, the tradition of ‘lotus feet’ in China, cultivated since the 10th century) and involuntary alterations (congenital changes and transformations) intermingle, where human cruelty stands alongside the sanctity of body parts revered in various cultures and Christian tradition. Sauka’s sculptures serve as a bridge between past and present, tradition and innovation, offering a nuanced exploration of human intervention in natural processes. His works provoke contemplation on the ethics of bodily modification, the limits of aesthetic representation, and the moral implications of human creativity. In this sense, Sauka invites viewers not only to engage aesthetically but also to ponder the ethical and existential dimensions of artistic expression.
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The sculptures of embryos, legs, hands, and other body parts crafted by Mykolas evoke parallels with votives and ancient rituals. Votives have been documented in Church history since the 5th century. Typically fashioned from precious metals, they took the form of human body parts (eyes, legs, hands, etc.), often affixed to revered images such as miraculous paintings, statues, altars, or reliquaries. These votives were used to express gratitude, such as after recovering from illness or surviving a calamity. The shape of the votive corresponded to the grace sought or received from God: an eye for healed eyesight, legs for a safe journey, hearts for matters of love. Mykolas Sauka’s sculptures, in contrast, are ascetic, raw, and unadorned. Thus, his interpretation of the “sacrifice ritual” is stark, defiant, almost rebellious and assertive in nature. Compared to ancient tradition, contemporary wood sculpture reflects a constantly changing society, where artists push the boundaries of tradition while preserving its fundamental essence.
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In this confrontation between the sanctification of the body and the cruel realities of its alteration, Sauka does not deliver a critique of religion or human intervention, but rather a reflection on the representation of the body and its beauty, even its ugliness. Through his enigmatic and often disturbing sculptures, the artist creates a space without a clear narrative, inviting the viewer to navigate an ambiguous world where aesthetics and horror intertwine.
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Mykolas Sauka. Photo: Augustinas Žukovas
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For Mykolas Sauka, artistic creation is a game, and The Children’s Room thus evokes life in all its complexity, with its mysteries, pleasures, and secrets. This metaphorical playroom becomes a reflection of human existence, a place where innocence and darkness intertwine, where each sculpture tells a story without words but laden with meaning and questions about our humanity.
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Traditionally, wood sculpture dates back millennia and has been practiced in many cultures around the world. In ancient times, wood was an abundant and easily accessible material, making it a natural choice for artistic creation. Artisans and sculptors often used simple tools such as chisels, gouges, and mallets to shape wood into a variety of forms, from religious sculptures to household utensils and architectural elements. In many cultures, wood sculpture had deep ritual or religious significance. For example, in African, Oceanic, and Native American traditions, wood sculptures were often used in ceremonial practices, representing deities, ancestors, or protective spirits. In Europe, during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, wood craftsmanship was closely linked to the production of religious artworks for churches and cathedrals, with themes such as the life of Jesus or the saints. It is from this tradition that Mykolas Sauka’s leitmotif – a fat renaissance angel – appears.
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Moreover, Sauka’s choice of wood as his medium is deliberate, rooted in its historical significance and cultural symbolism. From ancient times, wood has symbolized renewal, transformation, and spiritual connection across diverse civilizations. In The Children’s Room, this symbolism is palpable, as each sculpture not only speaks to personal narratives but also echoes broader themes of collective memory and cultural heritage. It is within this tradition that the leitmotif of Mykolas Sauka is situated: a baroque cherub (angelo in Italian – el puto ángel).
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Over time, the tradition of wood sculpture has evolved to adapt to social, technological, and artistic changes. In the contemporary world, artists like Mykolas Sauka continue to perpetuate this tradition while bringing their own vision and unique style. With his exceptional skill, Sauka revitalizes wood using age-old artisanal techniques, seamlessly blending traditional craftsmanship with modern sensibilities.
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Contemporary wood sculpture embraces a diversity of styles and subjects, ranging from abstract to figurative, from expressionism to minimalism. Sauka incorporates elements of his contemporary environment, as well as social and philosophical questions, into his sculptures, thus creating pieces laden with meaning and reflection. Despite these evolutions, the tradition of wood sculpture remains rooted in craftsmanship and creativity. Contemporary sculptors like Sauka draw their inspiration from universal themes of nature, spirituality, identity, and the human condition, while exploring new forms of expression and fabrication techniques.
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Mykolas Sauka’s The Children’s Room is a profound exhibition that invites viewers to reflect on the complexities of human existence, emerges as a poignant testament to the enduring power of art to provoke, challenge, and inspire.. Through his evocative sculptures, Sauka beckons us into a realm where innocence and darkness coalesce, where tradition meets innovation, and where the boundaries of human understanding are stretched and reshaped. As viewers navigate this metaphorical playroom of the soul, they are confronted with timeless questions about identity, mortality, and the profound mysteries of existence itself.
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The text was written by me and published in the catalog of Mykolas Sauka’s exhibition “The Children’s Room,” released by the Olivier Waltman Gallery.
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More about the artist:
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Photo: Augustinas Žukovas
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