Collection: Patrick Villas

Patrick Villas was born in 1961 and trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Since 2010, he lives and works in France, His works are exhibited worldwide, and his international agent is Galerie Bayart in Paris. Patrick Villas follows in the line of the great animal sculptors like Antoine-Louis Barye (1795 - 1875) and Rembrandt Bugatti (1884 -1916).

His work is far from the smooth and shiny animal bronzes of the 19th century. He prefers a more raw, more energetic approach to the material, always remaining faithful to the traits and character of the animal. This roughness, these asperities give even more presence to his sculptures. All the power, elegance and flexibility of his models emerge under the light. His racy and nervous traits introduce animal art into contemporary art.

For his first collaboration with Daum, Patrick Villas realizes a proud and powerful panther’s head. Felines are a central theme of his work. The crystal worked with the lost-wax technique transcribes all the work of the material, and preserves the modeling traces specific to the work of Patrick Villas, giving birth to a very contemporary sculpture. The crystal plays with the light and brings a new emotional momentum to Patrick Villas’ work. “In my work, I use shadows and natural lights to create a living interaction between the interlocutor and the work. I suggest the details and the shadows complete them. Throughout my career, I researched different materials and techniques: painting, sculpture, bronze, clay, ceramics and now crystal. I’ve know Daum since my youth, when I crossed the whole of France in search of antiquities and captivating objects, the vases and lamp shades by Daum particularly touched me. Having the opportunity to create especially for Daum Nancy is an honour.” Patrick Villas