Ferdi B Dick's Crystal Roar Series Casts the Open-Mouthed Gesture in Crystal
Ferdi B Dick, a sculptor originally from South Africa, incorporates a recurring theme of an open mouth with a protruding tongue in his animal sculptures, representing liberation rather than hostility, similar to the concept of Simhasana in yoga. This theme is evident in various works, including an 8-meter-tall public installation titled Embrace the Amazing Whale, which was unveiled in Zhanjiang, China, in December 2023. In the same year, Lion Roar was displayed at Everard Read in Johannesburg, reflecting similar ideas. His collection features Dragon Roar, Lion Roar, Bunnie Roar, and Ellie Roar, all designed from digital models and crafted in crystal through the lost-wax method. After studying 3D animation and operating a studio in Cape Town, Dick now lives in Kuala Lumpur, with sculptures located in Taiyuan, Zhanjiang, and Guangzhou, China.
Key facts
- Ferdi B Dick is a South African-born sculptor known for animal sculptures featuring an open-mouthed roar gesture.
- The gesture is linked to release and exhalation, paralleling Simhasana, the lion's breath in yoga.
- Embrace the Amazing Whale is an 8-meter-tall public sculpture installed on the waterfront of Zhanjiang, China, in December 2023.
- Lion Roar brought the same language to gallery-scale works at Everard Read in Johannesburg in 2023.
- Crystal Roar series includes Dragon Roar, Lion Roar, Bunnie Roar, and Ellie Roar.
- Each Crystal Roar sculpture begins as a digital model and is cast in crystal using the lost-wax process.
- Metal oxides are added during casting to create colors, each requiring a specific firing temperature.
- After casting, sculptures are cut, ground, sandblasted, and polished by hand.
- Dick studied 3D animation and ran an animation studio in Cape Town for 20 years before turning to sculpture full-time.
- He is now based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with public sculptures in Taiyuan, Zhanjiang, and Guangzhou, China.
Entities
Artists
- Ferdi B Dick
- Christina Vergopoulou
Institutions
- Everard Read
- designboom
Locations
- Zhanjiang
- China
- Johannesburg
- South Africa
- Cape Town
- Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia
- Taiyuan
- Guangzhou