Sam Jinks // Posted on June 16, 2010
I have immense respect for sculptors, due in part to a few bad experiences I have had in sculpture class. Sam Jinks is one of those sculptors. For a final paper in a sculpture class I critiqued the works of Sam Jinks, a macabre photorealist sculptor that focuses on the human form. Drawing from his experience as a prop creator, he creates works of art both fresh and old, revisiting classic works such as Michelangelo’s Pieta.
Jinks’ work is fascinating in his utilization of emaciated figures as a means of provocation. Still Life (Pieta) [below] is a reinterpretation of Michelangelo’s Pieta. Mary embraces the dying body of Jesus, stoically mourning the passing of the son of Christ. In Jinks’ rendition, he provides a curious replacement of Mary, a contemporary man in modern dress holding the old, withered and saggy body of an anonymous man. It may or may not be Jesus as it lacks the typical visual clues. Moreover it is a juxtaposition of old and young, clothed and naked, alive and dead. Though all of Jinks’ sculptures are lacking life as it seems, part emaciation part solitude.
His photorealism works paired with the lifelessness of individuals who appear to exist is a beautiful harmony. Definitely a favorite sculptor of mine.