Appearances Can Be Deceiving
Some of the most moving pieces of art involve the human form. After all, everyone on the planet can relate in some capacity… we are all human. Nature is also an ever-present theme, and artists sometimes explore the relationship between the two. Which is exactly the case for the work of Virginia-based sculptor Christopher David White. But what is really intriguing about White’s incredible body of work is his ability to manipulate perception… in essence, his mastery of illusion (or in art-speak, trompe l’oeil, visual illusion in art, which literally translates to “deceives the eye” from French). Upon inspection, White’s work appears to be intricately sculpted from petrified wood. We might add, if these pieces were sculpted from wood, that would be impressive in and of itself. But these stunning sculptures are actually rendered from clay with an astounding attention to detail. At its core, White’s work is about change. In his own words: “Change is a constant reminder that permanence is the ultimate illusion. It is through the creation of hyper-realistic sculpture that I explore the relationship between nature, man, and the phenomenon of impermanence.”
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