Modern Man

The contorted human form of Modern Man symbolizes our societal compulsion to keep moving, keep achieving and keep attaining stature, wealth and materialistic satisfaction. The arms, legs and torso are intentionally abstracted almost to the point of being unrecognizable, further supporting the theme that the manic pace of the modern era breeds distortion. The rusted metal finish is a reference to unsustainability of this mindset.

Modern Man is a reminder to take time to appreciate what we have. To not get caught up in the endless cycle of achievement to the point that our lives become an endless loop defined by production. “When I began sculpting in 2019, I looked at different artists and the way they worked and how they represented the human form, because that was of great interest to me. From expressionistic examples from Henry Moore to classical work from Bernini and da Vinci. I had no interest in faithfully executing classical sculpture - I wanted to to adopt classical forms and distort them, the way Moore did, but with more of a fluid aesthetic approach that represented motion.

The idea for Modern Man came about as a result of observing people in yoga class, bending and stretching in extreme ways - almost to the point of being able to complete a circle with their bodies. I amplified and stylized that notion to create a human form where the arms and legs connect. As I worked on the form, trying to find the proper balance of abstract and representation, the sense that it represents the struggles we all share trying to keep up with the demands of the modern world began to become apparent to me, giving the work a deeper meaning.”

– Ken Womack