Roman
Pivtoranis

My name is Roman Pivtoranis. I was born in Lviv, Ukraine, in 1989. My family and I moved to Bologna, in the early 2000s, where I studied and now work as a 3D artist.

I've always been interested in CGI graphics and only recently transitioned into a traditional medium. It took me some time to understand what was missing in my work and understand that without intimate contact with the medium, there can be no true transmission. Everything clicked into place the first time I tried working with clay. It is a perfect means of expression, capable of transmitting the most subtle nuances and fixing them in time and space.

The main subject of my work is the metaphysical nature of human beings. I use concepts such as Persona, with its original meaning in Greek - Prósōpon, "face; appearance; mask used in ancient theater to denote a character or, more generally, a social role". I explore various mental states and give them a mask. I also use concepts like Demons, the spirit guides of ancient Greece. There is always a contrast between opposites, male-female, passive-active, object-subject.

I make use of the three-dimensionality of my sculptures to explore a given situation in multiple dimensions simultaneously. Each sculpture has a clear and easily understandable front side and a more hidden and subtle expression on the back. There I can play with metaphysical concepts, depicting the true nature of existence, as I perceive it.

Each sculpture is a reflection of the artist, in my case it is more of a thesis on a topic in its own right. This thesis in sculpture form shows a certain state of mind, its cause and its resolution, offering the viewer both the possibility of contemplation and the tools of resolution.

My main medium of expression is clay. My creative process begins with an initial draft which is done on paper, using graphite or charcoal. A miniature draft is created using oil-based clay to figure out any issues before main production. When all the problems are solved, the real work begins. The sculpting process can take anywhere from one to three months, depending on the complexity and time available. Once finished, the sculpture is emptied and fired in a kiln to its terracotta state; it is then sanded, finished, painted with acrylics, and sealed with acrylic resin.