Dylan Lewis
Dylan Lewis is an exciting young South African artist who has emerged as one of the foremost figures in contemporary animal sculpture today. Lewis has focused chiefly on the cat as his subject and has created an unrivalled collection on this theme - ranking as one of the most important collections of animal sculpture to come out of Africa.
Nurtured by a family of artists and inspired by his mother and grandmother, Dylan Lewis first became a painter and it was only after the death of his father, well known sculptor Robin Lewis that he started to explore sculpture.
His sculptures touch the element, the pristine and the world of legend and enchantment. Lewis´s empathy with the wilderness and its living forms is evident in his ability to powerfully convey the essence of these predators and the environment in which they exist.
At one level his bronze sculptures celebrate the power and movement of Africa´s larger life forms; at another the textures he creates speak of the continent´s primeval, rugged landscapes and their ancient rhythms. He works intensively from life, filling books with sketches, notes and drawings. By referring to these in the solitude of his studio, he is able to reproduce the animal´s physical form while exploring the more abstract, deeper meaning of his subjects.
Lewis´s work features in private collections throughout the UK, Continental Europe, United States and Australia.
