Do you know that exact moment just before you fall asleep? When you are still trying to stay awake, but your eyes grow heavier and your head keeps slowly dropping?
This young man tried very hard to stay awake. Fortunately for me, he eventually lost his battle with sleep.
Sleeping Man captures that small, unguarded moment when someone briefly lets go of control. The closed eyes and slightly lowered head bring a sense of stillness to the face, while the rough surface deliberately preserves traces of the making process.
The sculpture has not been smoothed into perfection. Irregularities, grooves and built-up layers remain part of the portrait. They contrast with the softer shapes of the mouth, nose and closed eyes, giving the work both vulnerability and strength.
The warm ochre tone catches the light and reveals the texture of the surface. Raised above the dark bluestone base, the head almost seems to float, suspended in that brief moment between wakefulness and sleep.
Material: orange-pigmented Plasticrete, mounted with an iron rod on a bluestone base.
