Steel is typically viewed as a tough, durable material, but Johannesburg-based artist Regardt van der Meulen uses it to sculpt delicate, fragmented human forms. His intricate works explore themes of “time, memory, and mortality” and emphasize the fragility of human existence.
“It has a great ability to not only capture strength but also a sense of movement and fragility,” he tells My Modern Met. “In its natural state, it will rust and erode away which fits in perfectly with the theory of my work.” Erosion, destruction, and decay come to mind when viewing Van der Meulen’s work. His sculptures seem to disintegrate before your eyes, resembling fleeting figures made of flaking ash.
One of his latest works, titled Twigs, depicts a fragmented figure mid-stride, entwined with metal sprigs. This sculpture powerfully illustrates the idea that we are intrinsically connected to nature, and in death, we merge back into it, becoming one with the earth. In another work, titled Restoration, a metal figure looks down at his chest, holding a piece of his fragmenting body. It’s as if he has just noticed his own form changing, reminding us that life’s transformations can occur when we least expect them.
