SCULPTOR Eddie Symkens

Working in the field of applied psychology I’m confronted with “scarred lives” on a daily basis. The professional challenge lies in turning “misfortunes” into “resilience” or “spirit”.
As a visual artist I aim to recreate this “intention” in my sculptures.

My sculptures demand time. People sometimes tell me that they (sculptures that is) carry a tormented, anguished impression with them. At first they seem psychologically downtrodden but if you look closely you can notice a certain life-force and resilience. Intrinsic happiness does not just blow into one’s life, people encounter misfortune. But it is the next step that I aim to portray, the moment that someone gets up and rediscovers a power to live.

The sculptures appear austere and purified, stripped of all and any superfluity. Traces of molding, carving and bashing are what remain.

All details have been removed and form has been reduced to the essential, fundamental, relevant. Perfect anatomy and the ideal human who symbolizes power and conquest are not what is intended. It is all about the strength and vitality of the scarred to beat the odds and live life on their terms.