Bourrée Sorcière and The Fence Riders

Bourrée Sorcière, 2006

steel, 24ct gold leaf
approx. 180 x 180 x 1cm

Bourrée Sorcière, front view

Bourrée Sorcière and The Fence Riders, side view

It is the year 1952 ... Alexej Sacharoff looks back to a fulfilled artists’ life in dance, stage and costume design as well as painting. Nearly fifty years he performed and produced formidable art pieces. At that time he still continues creating more celebrated works, and after a lifetime of travelling and moving around the globe he settles down in Rome. Then he scetches another choreography onto a paper, the ‘bourée fantasque’... 

... 53 years later, I found the scetch in a book while doing research on Alexej and Clothilde Sacharoff, the famous dancers couple. They have been in the surroundings of ‘Der Blaue Reiter’ (‘The Blue Rider’) and members of ‘Neue Künstlervereinigung München’ which both have been trailblazing artists groups, developing abstract art and Expressionism. Members of those artist groups have been Wassily Kandinsky, Thomas von Hartmann, Gabriele Münter, Marianne von Werefkin and others.

As dance and dancers are deeply inspiring for my work, I loved it straight away. 

I translated the choreography into my formal language and developed 'The Fence Riders’ and their

Matrix, ‘Bourrée Sorcière’, where the score is leaf gilded on.

The Fence Riders, still in progress

aurora

bronze, approx. 20 x 15 x 12 cm.
originally designed as an award for a yearly charity event which was supposed to collect money to help needy children and their families.

AURORA means the rising sun, a symbol for me for a beginning life, such as a childs' life should be.

what is a teddy for a child? no matter if a little monkey, an elefant or lion, or just classical, a bear, such a cuddly toy is a central figure in a childs life.

this soft toy often means a real character to a child, it gives hope, a sense of care, affection, even some protection. this comfy toy sometimes talks instead of the child, specially when there is something very uncomfy to say...

the shoulder of the figure is heart shaped, so it is all lasting on shoulders of love. the base of it all has to be made of love to be the right one for the child to support it.

the head is just a sphere. no attributes whatsoever that might point to any kind of race. all children are included, no matter what religion, race or cultural heritage. very important.

and the teddy also symbolizes the child himself, being protected and held by the honoured one.


so to me it meant that the person who would get this award, is the heart, shoulder and -maybe access to the- world for one or more children. this person is a reliable friend and trusted confidant.




casts free to commission: 5/8 - 8/8

A Chess game

Two wax models of six:







Queen, from behind














 Tower