Victor ManBorn in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in 1974.He lives and works in Berlin, Germany, and Cluj-Napoca.Only gradually does the eye find its bearings as the contours of the images emerge from the black, gray, and green tones of Victor Man’s intimate, small-format paintings. This gradual process of recognition transforms these images into a threshold, a place of transition into another, inner reality. The space that opens up under the cover of darkness within Man’s works leads viewers into a mysterious world that merges the mundane and the fantastical, mythology and fetish, individual experience and art-historical references, male and female, man and beast. This magical cosmos includes portraits and still lifes as well as beautiful, occult-like, and even erotic subjects. The paintings, attracting and drawing the viewer into their worlds, however, never provide explanations. Instead in their play of suggestions and references, the possibility is ever present to reverse their meaning in the eye of the viewer. In that sense a seemingly harmless still life depicting a bunch of slender, moderate branches in a vase, as in his Virgács (St. Nicolas) (2011), transforms into an object of fear after decoding the reference in the title to Saint Nicholas and his counterpart Krampus, who punishes those who have been bad. When Man draws from literary sources and art he usually favors sources that deal with the thresholds of human existence. The human body—transformed, constrained, tortured, amputated—is often at the center of his timeless and mysterious paintings. A recurring motif is that of decapitation: a seated figure, cut off at the neck by the painting’s format, holds a disembodied head in its lap. Whether the figure is female or male remains unclear. This motif evokes images of Judith and Holofernes or Salome and John the Baptist. The gender ambiguity of the main figure reveals Man’s interest in the Surrealists and their experiments with gender-bending imagery. Some of Man’s

Victor Joseph DeManet (1895–1964) was a Belgian sculptor whose oeuvre embodies a profound engagement with existential themes and psychological exploration. Born in Brussels, Belgium, he achieved international recognition for his distinctive style—characterized by meticulous detail and an unsettling blend of realism and dreamlike abstraction—particularly evident in his celebrated “Luminary Petals” series and contributions to the Olympic art competitions.

The artist’s artistic journey began amidst the burgeoning avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, influenced heavily by Surrealism's fascination with subconscious imagery and challenging conventions. DeManet’s sculptures frequently grapple with notions of vulnerability, transformation, and confronting mortality—concepts mirrored in his paintings.

• Style: Surrealist Influences – DeManet’s artistic vision leans decisively towards Surrealism, prioritizing evocative symbolism over literal representation.
• Technique: Oil Paint on Canvas – He skillfully employs oil paint on canvas, achieving remarkable textural depth and capturing subtle nuances of light and shadow.
• Recurring Motifs: Decapitation – A striking visual element—the decapitated figure—appears repeatedly in his works, serving as a potent symbol of loss, severance, and confronting the fragility of human existence.

Considered a pivotal figure within Belgian sculpture, Victor DeManet’s legacy extends beyond individual artworks; he represents a commitment to artistic experimentation and delving into the complexities of the human psyche. His “Luminary Petals” series continues to captivate audiences with its haunting beauty and intellectual depth.

The artist's exploration of literary sources—particularly those addressing existential crossroads—underscores his belief in art’s capacity to provoke contemplation and challenge perceptions. DeManet’s sculptures stand as testament to a courageous pursuit of artistic truth, cementing his place among the most influential sculptors of his era.

• Untitled (after Giorgione)
• Victor Joseph DeManet