These sculptures by Calvin Ma may look like the wooden toys that inspired them, but they are detailed ceramic figures he calls “Homebodies”. The artist will debut the latest in this ongoing series at Modern Eden Gallery on November 15th. He shares some of the personal meaning behind his totem-esque heroes: “My work draws inspiration from the toys and action figures I had growing up. As an introverted and socially awkward kid, the plastic heroes, villains and their vehicles helped me cope with my inability to socialize. They served as an escape for me and soon became a passion. Now, as an introverted and socially awkward adult, I create artwork that reflects on the struggles I have with social anxiety.” ‘Recollective’ refers to Ma’s revisiting this theme, mixed with new elements like cars and planes. This isn’t just an exploration of the artist’s emotion, but also medium, as he incorporates glaze, stain, twine, and resin. Paired with such delicate materials, the figures become playful symbols of the artist’s fragility.
Hugh Hayden shapes wood, sourced from Christmas trees, exotic timbers, or other unexpected objects, into cerebral recreations of everyday objects. He recently showed recent work at C L E A R I N G’s Brussels gallery, pulling from spiritual, historical, and other aspects of the city to craft the body of work shown. The artist often injects his own personal history into his work, whether in the subject depicted or in the very wood harvested and formed.
When he was a young artist in the 1970s,