Sardine, Sardine, Why Are You So Small? (Mobile)

Artist statement:

The sculpture "Sardine, Sardine, Why Are You So Small?" (Mobile) is part of the "Safari" series and is conceived as a mobile – an artwork activated by movement and balance. The sardine figure is made from a single piece of iron, reduced and precisely formed, with an emphasis on line and mass.

The sardine is balanced in relation to the form of the sea behind it – a blue, organic surface made of plaster and hemp fiber, further coated for durability. This form functions both as a stylized representation of the sea and as a necessary counterweight to the weight of the iron. The point of balance lies at the center of this sea, where the entire composition finds its equilibrium.

The sculpture is mounted on a vertical iron rod anchored into a stone block, which provides stability and permanence to the structure. Above this solid base, the upper part of the sculpture remains light and mobile – designed so that, with a gentle push, it slowly rotates and swims in a circle, like a fish in a quiet, enclosed space.

The work explores a subtle balance between weight and lightness, stillness and movement. As part of the Safari series, the sculpture does not merely depict an animal, but also its motion, instinct, and fragile presence within space.