Yesterday, an earthquake struck Northern Japan. Seismologists are still scratching their heads over the cause, but I know exactly what caused them: The sculpture of Carlos Enriquez hit the internet like a ton of bricks. First, BoingBoing carried a photo from the website Toy Karma. The photo then ping-ponged its way around the internets. Inquiring minds want to know more, so I emailed the sculptor directly, and was pleasantly surprised when he promptly answered my email with a bevvy of photos, not only of the fiberglass works displayed above, but also his gigantic carved statue of Japanese character Darkron.
I created a FLICKR gallery for the photos, so please pay them a visit. Carlos Enriquez is a Venezuela-based sculptor who draws inspiration from the Japanese Kaiju (monsters) that he loves to collect. He also mixes in South American lore and monsters for good measure. His background is in art, and he grasps the power of handcrafting objects that are normally mass-produced. The gigantic Darkron statue's charm is amplified by its scale--the human touches add both pathos and energy to the object. Enriquez also uses fiberglass and metal flake automotive paints to create objects, such as the Belzor figures pictured above. He shows with Praxis, so look for his work at an art fair (and soon museum) near you. What's up his sleeve next? He's working on more gigantic wooden and fiberglass statues that will be sure to inflict more earthquakes on Japan.
LINK to Flickr Gallery
