The Singing Horse

The bronze cast, based on a wooden alder sculpture in the collection of Vladas Vildžiūnas, marks a significant milestone in Stanislovas Kuzma’s (1947–2012) work. ‘I had my first breakthrough moment as a sculptor around the year 1968. I created two small-scale sculptures on the theme of the horse, The Singing Horse and The Nightingale, with the obvious influence of Marino Marini. At that time, the concept of a plastic idea took shape and began to evolve in my head.’* This plastic idea, akin to a literary narrative or a metaphor expressed through visual means, remained a hallmark of Kuzma’s later work. The Singing Horse depicts a stylised horse figure with a bird perching on its back and its wings outstretched. Characterised by harmonious, serene lines, the horse and the bird gaze in unison, their stylised forms echoing each other, evoking a sense of musicality. Typical of the 1960s, the motif of allegorical animals and birds, drawn from fairy tales and legends, enjoyed widespread popularity. The expressive yet minimalist and decorative style of The Singing Horse resonated not only with Kuzma, but also with his contemporaries in sculpture.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

* Stanislovas Kuzma. Skulptūra +5425 dienos. NDG, Vilnius, 2013, p. 10.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
© VŠĮ „Lietuvos dailės fondas“

The bronze cast, based on a wooden alder sculpture in the collection of Vladas Vildžiūnas, marks a significant milestone in Stanislovas Kuzma’s (1947–2012) work. ‘I had my first breakthrough moment as a sculptor around the year 1968. I created two small-scale sculptures on the theme of the horse, The Singing Horse and The Nightingale, with the obvious influence of Marino Marini. At that time, the concept of a plastic idea took shape and began to evolve in my head.’* This plastic idea, akin to a literary narrative or a metaphor expressed through visual means, remained a hallmark of Kuzma’s later work. The Singing Horse depicts a stylised horse figure with a bird perching on its back and its wings outstretched. Characterised by harmonious, serene lines, the horse and the bird gaze in unison, their stylised forms echoing each other, evoking a sense of musicality. Typical of the 1960s, the motif of allegorical animals and birds, drawn from fairy tales and legends, enjoyed widespread popularity. The expressive yet minimalist and decorative style of The Singing Horse resonated not only with Kuzma, but also with his contemporaries in sculpture.

Text author Jurgita Ludavičienė

* Stanislovas Kuzma. Skulptūra +5425 dienos. NDG, Vilnius, 2013, p. 10.

Source: Law firm Valiunas Ellex art album THE ART OF MATERIALS. Compiler and text author Jurgita Ludavičienė
© VŠĮ „Lietuvos dailės fondas“