DELAWARE ART MUSEUM PRESENTS ULTRA-REALISTIC SCULPTURE BY MARC SIJAN

THE DELAWARE ART MUSEUM PRESENTS ULTRA-REALISTIC SCULPTURE BY MARC SIJAN, FEATURING 17 STARTLINGLY LIFELIKE SCULPTURES, ON VIEW FROM 13.NOVEMBER THROUGH 16.JANUARY.2011. BASED ON INDIVIDUALS SIJAM KNOWS WELL, HIS FACES AND FIGURES CAPTURE MOVEMENT AND HUMAN EMOTION, AS WELL AS THE MINUTE DETAILS OF INDIVIDUAL APPEARANCE. ALTHOUGH THE ARTIST DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM THE IDEALIZED ANATOMY OF CLASSICAL SCULPTURES, SUCH AS MICHELANGELO'S DAVID, HIS CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF THE HUMAN FORM ILLUSTRATES THE GRITTY IMPERFECTIONS OF AVERAGE PEOPLE. SIJAN BREATHES LIFE INTO HIS SCULPTURES THROUGH A SIX-MONTH PROCESS. AFTER CREATING A PLASTER MOLD, HE CASTS THE SCULPTURE IN POLYESTER RESIN. SIJAN ACHIEVES A REALISTIC FLESH-LIKE SURFACE BY COATING THE SCULPTURE IN UP TO 25 LAYERS OF PAINT AND METICULOUSLY ADDING UNIQUE 'VARIATIONS' WITH OIL PAINT, SUCH AS FRECKLES, VEINS, AND BIRTHMARKS. TO SATISFY THE CURIOSITY OF VISITORS WHO WANT TO FEEL HIS LIFELIKE CREATIONS, SIJAN HAS INCLUDED A TOUCHABLE POLYESTER RESIN HAND IN THE SHOW. THE EXHIBITION INCLUDES FIVE LIFE-LIKE FIGURES, THREE TORSOS, AND YEN PORTRAITS. THE FREE STANDING FIGURES ARE INSTALLED THROUGHOUT THE GALLERIES TO PLAYFULLY ENGAGE VISITORS WITH THE MUSEUM'S PERMANENT COLLECTION. SIJAN, WHO IS BASED IN MILWAUKEE, WI, HAS BEEN SCULPTING THE HUMAN FIGURE AND ARTISTICALLY EXPLORING ANATOMY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. HIS WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED IN MORE THAN 51 SOLO EXHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD.