Backstage with
Artist / Sculptor
DAN JULA
TODAY, WE SIT DOWN WITH DAN JULA TO DELVE INTO THE MIND BEHIND THESE EVOCATIVE WORKS, EXPLORING THE PHILOSOPHY, TECHNIQUE, AND PERSONAL JOURNEY THAT SHAPE HIS ART.
JULA’S ARTISTIC PROCESS IS AS UNFORGIVING AS IT IS BOLD. WORKING PRIMARILY WITH WOOD, HE ESCHEWS THE SAFETY NET OF PRELIMINARY SKETCHES OR MOLDS, INSTEAD ATTACKING HIS MEDIUM DIRECTLY WITH CARVING TOOLS.
SO, LET US KNOW WHAT SPECIFICALLY ATTRACTED YOU TO WOOD AS YOUR PRIMARY MEDIUM, CONSIDERING ITS “EFFICIENT AND ORGANIC MATERIALITY”?
I WORK WITH WOOD BECAUSE IT GIVES EACH SCULPTURE A NATURAL AND AUTHENTIC FEEL. WOOD IS A LIVING MATERIAL WITH A UNIQUE TEXTURE THAT CAN BE SHAPED INTO DIVERSE FORMS, REFLECTING THE BEAUTY OF NATURE IN MY ART, WITH BIOMORPHISM BEING THE MAIN SOURCE OF INSPIRATION—A TRANSPOSITION OF NATURE THROUGH MY VISION.
EACH PIECE OF WOOD CARRIES WITH IT A HISTORY, A STORY OF GROWTH AND CHANGE THAT I CONTINUE THROUGH MY CREATIONS. UNLIKE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS, WOOD BREATHES AND CHANGES OVER TIME, ADDING AN ADDITIONAL DYNAMISM TO MY WORKS. WHEN YOU WORK WITH WOOD, IT’S DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW A PREDEFINED MODEL; YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT THE WOOD HIDES INSIDE AFTER A CUT, AND THIS IS A CONSTANT CHALLENGE FOR ME—ONCE YOU DISCOVER THE STORY, YOU NEED TO TRANSPOSE IT VISUALLY INTO A WORK OF ART.
ADDITIONALLY, WOOD HAS IMPRESSIVE DURABILITY WHEN PROCESSED AND MAINTAINED CORRECTLY, ENSURING THAT MY WORKS WILL LAST OVER TIME. THE CHOICE OF WOOD ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF MY ARTISTIC PRACTICE, BEING A RENEWABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY MATERIAL. EACH TYPE OF WOOD, WITH ITS VARIATIONS IN COLOR AND HARDNESS, ALLOWS ME TO EXPLORE A WIDE RANGE OF STYLES AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS. IN MY SCULPTURES, I TRY TO HIGHLIGHT THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE WOOD, EMPHASIZING ITS DISTINCT FIBERS AND KNOTS. THIS ORGANIC MATERIALITY RESONATES WITH THE AUDIENCE, WHO CAN FEEL THE AUTHENTICITY AND WARMTH OF THE WOOD. THUS, WOOD SCULPTURE BECOMES A MEDITATION ON NATURE AND ART—A CONTINUOUS JOURNEY IN DISCOVERING THE BEAUTY OF WOOD ESSENCES.
IN THE END, WOOD CHALLENGES ME TO BE CREATIVE AND INGENIOUS, ALWAYS SEEKING NEW TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES TO BRING OUT ITS ARTISTIC POTENTIAL. RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN WORKING MORE WITH WOOD FROM FALLEN TREES, DAMAGED BY WEATHER OR PESTS; THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTER OF THE WOOD LED ME TO BURN IT TO REGAIN ARTISTIC UTILITY. THROUGH BURNING, WOOD STORES THE IDEA OF LIGHT IN THAT CHARCOAL-BLACK TEXTURE; THIS SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARKNESS SEEMS TO ME A THEME WORTH EXPLORING IN THE FUTURE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT SCULPTURE OFFERS YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVEAL CONTENT THROUGH A DEFINITIVE GESTURE. CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS AND HOW YOU DECIDE WHEN A PIECE IS COMPLETE?
SCULPTING BY CARVING MAKES YOU AWARE THAT EACH CUT INTO THE WOOD IS IRREVERSIBLE, PERMANENT. THIS ACT OF DIRECT CARVING, ALSO KNOWN AS “TAILLE DIRECTE,” WAS PROMOTED BY CONSTANTIN BRÂNCUȘI, WHO BELIEVED THAT THE ARTIST MUST WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE MATERIAL TO REVEAL ITS INNER FORM. MY CREATIVE PROCESS BEGINS WITH SELECTING A PIECE OF WOOD—OFTEN, I LOOK AT IT AND DON’T KNOW WHY I CHOSE IT, BUT IN THE END, EVERY PIECE OF WOOD HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING, TO CONVEY SOMETHING… MY ROLE IS TO DISCOVER THESE UNKNOWNS, TO OVERCOME THEM, AND TO ARRIVE AT A FINAL RESULT TRANSLATED INTO A WORK OF ART. SOMETIMES IT’S SIMPLE, AND ALL THE UNKNOWNS ARE EASILY REVEALED; OTHER TIMES, IT’S MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT—I STILL HAVE PIECES OF WOOD THAT I’VE STARTED AND WHOSE STORY I HAVE YET TO UNDERSTAND. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, I LET MYSELF BE GUIDED BY THE MATERIALITY OF THE WOOD, ADAPTING MY INITIAL PLANS TO HIGHLIGHT ITS NATURAL BEAUTY.
THE DECISION TO CONSIDER A PIECE COMPLETE COMES WHEN I FEEL I HAVE REVEALED THE WOOD’S STORY AND ACHIEVED A BALANCE BETWEEN MY ARTISTIC INTENTION AND THE NATURAL FORMS OF THE MATERIAL. EACH CUT IS MADE WITH CARE AND RESPECT FOR THE MATERIAL, KNOWING THAT ANY MISTAKE IS PERMANENT. I TRY TO REACH A POINT WHERE THE WORK CLEARLY COMMUNICATES THE DESIRED IDEA OR EMOTION WITHOUT BEING OVERLOADED WITH UNNECESSARY DETAILS. I FINISH THE PIECE WHEN I FEEL I HAVE ACHIEVED HARMONY BETWEEN SHAPES, TEXTURES, AND THE ARTISTIC MESSAGE, ALLOWING THE WOOD TO SPEAK BOTH FOR ITSELF AND FOR ME.
“SCULPTING BY CARVING MAKES YOU AWARE”
YOUR SCULPTURES SEEM DEEPLY PERSONAL AND INTROSPECTIVE. HOW DO YOU BALANCE REVEALING YOUR INNER THOUGHTS THROUGH ART WHILE MAINTAINING A SENSE OF INTIMACY?
YES, IT’S TRUE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF MY WORKS ARE GENERATED BY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, WHAT ONE MIGHT CALL “AUTHOR’S WORKS.” TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, I NEED TO EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT HOW I CAME TO SCULPTURE.
SIX YEARS AGO, I WENT THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME MENTALLY, A SEVERE DEPRESSION THAT HAD BEEN ONGOING AND WAS BEING TREATED WITH MEDICATION. ONE DAY, WHILE CHOPPING WOOD FOR THE STOVE, I NOTICED THAT A PIECE OF WOOD RESEMBLED A PENGUIN. I BECAME INTERESTED IN TRANSFORMING THAT PIECE OF WOOD INTO A FIGURATIVE, NAÏVE WORK THAT CLEARLY RESEMBLED A PENGUIN.
DURING THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS WORK, I REALIZED THAT THE VERY ACT OF CARVING WOOD IS A PROCESS THAT ALLOWS ME TO FOCUS ON ACHIEVING A RESULT AND GREATLY CALMS ME. THIS IS HOW I STARTED TO BECOME INTERESTED IN CARVING TECHNIQUES, AND IN THESE PAST YEARS, I HAVE BEGUN TO DISCOVER SCULPTURE, EVENTUALLY PURSUING ACADEMIC TRAINING AND SPECIALIZATION IN THE FIELD.
THAT BEING SAID, ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, SCULPTURE IS A FORM OF THERAPY FOR ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE CENTRAL THEME OF MY WORKS IS PRECISELY THE HUMAN PSYCHE’S STRUGGLE WITH FEARS, NEGATIVE THOUGHTS, AND EVERYTHING THAT CAN DISRUPT OUR BALANCE IN LIFE.
GIVEN WHAT I’VE MENTIONED ABOVE, I THINK IT’S IMPLICIT THAT, IN MY OPINION, NOTHING CAN BE TRULY INTIMATE IN AN ARTIST’S WORK. I BELIEVE THAT THE GREAT QUEST FOR AN ARTIST IS TO REVEAL THEIR MOST PROFOUND AND INTIMATE THOUGHTS TO THE VIEWER THROUGH WHAT THEY CREATE AS A WORK OF ART.
“TEARS AND DESTINY”
CAN YOU SHARE A SPECIFIC PIECE OF YOURS THAT HAS A PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT STORY OR EMOTIONAL RESONANCE?
I MENTIONED THAT PENGUIN IN THE PREVIOUS QUESTION, BUT LET’S SAY IT WAS AMONG MY FIRST SCULPTURES AND DEFINITELY FALLS UNDER THE NAIVE STYLE. HOWEVER, THE PIECE I WANT TO MENTION HERE IS TEARS AND DESTINY. IT IS MY FIRST MONUMENTAL WORK, CREATED DURING AN ART CAMP ALONGSIDE MY MENTOR MARIUS BACRIU AND A GROUP OF EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTS. THE CREATIVE ENERGY OF THOSE DAYS, THE JOY OF WORKING ALMOST NONSTOP FOR DAYS ON END TO COMPLETE A MONUMENTAL WORK WITH A HEIGHT OF 2 METERS AND 20 CENTIMETERS, MADE FROM OAK WOOD, MAKES ME ALWAYS REMEMBER IT FONDLY.
COMPOSITIONALLY, THE WORK FEATURES 13 BAS-RELIEFS CARVED INTO THE WOOD TRUNK, SYMBOLIZING, IN ABSTRACT FORM, A TEARDROP—6 ARE ORIENTED NORMALLY IN THE GRAVITATIONAL DIRECTION OF THE DROP’S FALL, WHILE 6 ARE ORIENTED AGAINST GRAVITY, REPRESENTING AN INVERSE LAMENT, IF YOU WILL. THE 13TH IS ORIENTED BOTH WAYS, SYMBOLIZING A BALANCE THAT MUST BE SOUGHT. NUMEROLOGY AND THE SYMBOLISM OF CERTAIN FORMS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AS AN ARTIST, SO I CAREFULLY SEEK THEIR REPRESENTATION IN ALL MY WORKS.
“I’M MORE ATTENTIVE TO COMPOSITION, TEXTURES, AND FINISHES”
WHOW HAS YOUR ART EVOLVED OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCES AND PERSONAL GROWTH?
MY LIFE REVOLVES AROUND A CAROUSEL, AND THE REVERSAL OF TERMS IS INTENTIONAL… IT’S HARD TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION HONESTLY. I’M SURE THAT OVER THESE SIX YEARS, I’VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR A SCULPTURE TO BE A WORK OF ART. IF I’VE EVOLVED, IT MIGHT BE TRUE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE ART CRITIC—PERHAPS I’M MORE ATTENTIVE TO COMPOSITION, TEXTURES, AND FINISHES—BUT ON AN INTERNAL LEVEL, AS MY OWN CRITIC, I DON’T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN EVOLUTION. IT’S A PATH I’M ON, AND I FEEL THAT I MUST WALK IT IN MY OWN WAY, AT MY OWN PACE, ALWAYS SEEKING THAT STATE OF WELL-BEING SPECIFIC TO “HIKING.”
HOW DOES CREATING ART SERVE AS A THERAPEUTIC TOOL FOR YOU? HOW DOES IT CONTRIBUTE TO FINDING BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE?
I’VE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, BUT PERHAPS IT’S WORTH DELVING DEEPER. GENERALLY SPEAKING, AND I SAY THIS WITHOUT BEING A SPECIALIST, A MENTAL ILLNESS CAN TAKE OVER A PERSON’S MIND AND DRASTICALLY CONTROL THEIR LIFE. IF YOU’RE LUCKY—AND I USE THE TERM “LUCKY” DELIBERATELY BECAUSE PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENTS OFTEN RELY ON LUCK—YOU MIGHT FIND MEDICATION THAT HELPS YOU OVERCOME THIS IMBALANCE OVER TIME. HOWEVER, IF YOU MANAGE TO FIND SOMETHING THAT TAKES HOLD OF YOU, SOMETHING THAT CAPTIVATES YOUR MIND AND CONSTANTLY PIQUES YOUR INTEREST, THINGS SOMEHOW START TO BALANCE OUT.
FOR ME, THAT “SOMETHING” IS SCULPTURE. IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN, BUT I AM LIVING PROOF THAT THIS IS TRUE. WHEN I’M NOT WORKING—BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU DON’T GET TO DO ONLY WHAT YOU LOVE—I NEED MEDICATION. BUT WHEN I AM WORKING, I AM HAPPY AND AT PEACE IN MY CREATIVE RESTLESSNESS.
“MOST OF THE TIME, THINGS CHANGE ALONG THE WAY”
HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR SCULPTURES INTERACTING WITH THE SPACES THEY INHABIT, WHETHER IN A GALLERY OR A PRIVATE COLLECTION?
IT LARGELY DEPENDS ON THE SPACE ITSELF OR, MORE PRECISELY, ON WHETHER THE CURATOR OR COLLECTOR RESONATES WITH THE PARTICULAR ARTWORK. I ENVISION MY WORKS ALONGSIDE PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO LOOK AT THEM. I’VE ALWAYS SAID THAT I AIM TO CREATE WORKS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE IN MY OWN HOME, TO LOOK AT DAILY, EVEN IN THE MORNING BEFORE I’VE HAD MY COFFEE.
SINCE THESE ARE ORIGINAL WORKS WITHOUT A SPECIFIC THEME OR CREATED FOR A PARTICULAR EVENT, IT CAN BE A BIT MORE CHALLENGING TO SHOWCASE THEM OR, MORE ACCURATELY, TO FIND PEOPLE WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY, WHO UNDERSTAND THEM, AND WHO WANT TO HAVE THEM. HOWEVER, SINCE THE WORKS ARE MADE OF WOOD IN NATURAL, WARM COLORS OF VARIOUS ESSENCES—PRIMARILY WALNUT, OAK, AND CHERRY—IT’S NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO MATCH THEM WITH A SPACE FROM AN INTERIOR DESIGN PERSPECTIVE. EVEN THE BURNED OR PATINATED WORKS, WHEN PLACED IN THE RIGHT LIGHT, CAN BRING A BALANCE TO THE SPACE.
LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE YOUR ASPIRATIONS OR GOALS FOR YOUR ART IN THE COMING YEARS?
IT’S DIFFICULT TO SET GOALS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ART, ALL I WANT IS TO BE ABLE TO WORK AND WHEN I SAY THAT I REFER TO TWO MAIN ASPECTS. TO BE HEALTHY, BECAUSE THE PROFESSION OF SCULPTOR IS NOT AN EASY ONE, AND TO BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SELL WORKS THAT ENSURE MY EXISTENCE. TO CONCLUDE, I QUOTE A PASSAGE THAT IS VERY DEAR TO ME:
“LORD, MAKE ME ATTENTIVE AND INVENTIVE, SO THAT IN THE ROUTINE OF DAYS I CAN STOP IN FRONT OF DISCOVERIES AND EXPERIENCES THAT HAVE INTRIGUED ME. TEACH ME TO MANAGE THE TIME OF MY LIFE CORRECTLY. GIVE ME A SENSE OF OBSERVATION, TO BE ABLE TO DIFFERENTIATE IMPORTANT THINGS FROM LESS IMPORTANT ONES.
I ASK YOU TO GIVE ME THE POWER OF RESTRAINT AND UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT IN LIFE I DO NOT DEVIATE FROM WHAT IS IMPORTANT, BUT PLAN MY TIME RATIONALLY, TO BE ABLE TO SEE BOTH THE MOUNTAIN TOP AND THE VALLEY AND SOMETIMES TO FIND TIME FOR THE JOY OF ART. HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT DREAMS ARE NOT A HELP. NEITHER LONGING FOR THE PAST, NOR DESIRES FOR THE FUTURE. HELP ME TO BE HERE AND NOW AND TO PERCEIVE THIS MOMENT AS THE MOST IMPORTANT. PROTECT ME FROM THE NAIVE BELIEF THAT EVERYTHING IN LIFE SHOULD BE EASY. GIVE ME THE AWARENESS THAT ALL HARDSHIPS, DEFEATS, FALLS AND DISSATISFACTIONS ARE A NATURAL PART OF LIFE, THANKS TO WHICH WE GROW AND DEVELOP. REMIND ME THAT THE HEART IS ALWAYS IN CONFLICT WITH REASON. SEND ME AT THE RIGHT TIME SOMEONE WHO WILL HAVE THE COURAGE TO TELL ME THE TRUTH, BUT TO DO IT WITH LOVE. I KNOW, MANY PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING, SO TEACH ME TO WAIT. YOU KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEED FRIENDSHIP.
HELP ME TO DESERVE THIS GIFT OF FATE. GIVE ME A RICH IMAGINATION, SO THAT AT THE RIGHT MOMENT, AT THE RIGHT TIME, SPEAKING OR SILENT, I CAN OFFER SOMEONE THE NECESSARY WARMTH. MAKE ME THE MAN WHO CAN REACH EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN. KEEP ME FROM THE FEAR OF AVOIDING IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE. DON’T GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, GIVE ME WHAT I REALLY NEED. TEACH ME THE ART OF SMALL STEPS.”
ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPERY IN STACY SCHIFF’S BIOGRAPHICAL BOOK
DAN, YOUR ABILITY TO TRANSFORM WOOD INTO A REFLECTION OF THE HUMAN PSYCHE IS NOTHING SHORT OF EXTRAORDINARY. THROUGH YOUR ART, YOU’VE SHOWN US THAT EVERY CARVE, EVERY PIECE REMOVED, REVEALS SOMETHING DEEPER ABOUT OURSELVES. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR INSIGHTS AND YOUR JOURNEY WITH US TODAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW YOUR WORK CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND INSPIRE.
