Forsaken Son - Reduction

‘Forsaken Son’ holds the tension between outward strength and an inward unraveling, capturing a quiet estrangement that men of the current generation inherited from past generations and are now struggling to free themselves from – thus in a way mirroring women's liberation – albeit this liberation is made in solitude, quietly, and that of course takes both inner strength and courage.

The piece draws on the myth of the Minotaur to explore the legacy of emotional repression and unresolved pain passed down between generations. The figure stands as a vessel of inherited conflict, where strength is bound to suffering, and silence becomes a form of protection. The work gestures toward the interior landscape of the masculine psyche — one shaped by expectation, vulnerability, and the failure of nurture – and the struggle to break free from the inherited conflicts that shaped it and adapt to the changing relation between genders.

I should mention that two things in particular inspired this piece. The documentary 'The Work' that moved me deeply, and the incredible production 'Spartacus' by the Australian Ballet.

'Forsaken Son' was originally sculpted as a half-life size figure in 2018 during an art residency at Mapstone Studio, Devon UK.

Year sculpted: 2018.