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a mysterious world that merges the mundane and the fantastical, mythology and fetish, individual experience and art-historical references, male and female, man and beast.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 artistic vision captivated audiences during his lifetime and continues to inspire admiration today.

Born in Brussels on February 3, 1895, DeManet’s career spanned decades of creative exploration, culminating in significant contributions to the art world. He resided primarily in Berlin and Cluj-Napoca, fostering a dual artistic influence that enriched his oeuvre.

His sculptures gained recognition through participation in prestigious Olympic art competitions – notably those held in 1924, 1932, and 1936 – cementing his place as a prominent figure within the modernist movement. DeManet’s artistic endeavors were characterized by meticulous craftsmanship and an unwavering dedication to conveying profound emotional resonance.

• Style: Surrealism
• Technique: Marble Sculpture
• Notable Works: “Luminary Petals on a Wet, Black Bough” (series), Olympic Sculptures

The artist’s oeuvre delves into themes of metamorphosis and existential contemplation. Recurring imagery includes depictions of human figures subjected to physical transformations—severed limbs, amputations—reflecting a preoccupation with vulnerability and the fragility of the human condition.

DeManet frequently draws inspiration from literary narratives that explore pivotal moments of human experience, mirroring the Surrealists’ fascination with subconscious impulses and dreamlike landscapes. His sculptures aim to provoke introspection and challenge conventional perceptions of beauty and form.

The deliberate use of stark contrasts between light and shadow contributes to an unsettling atmosphere—one imbued with mystery and hinting at hidden anxieties. DeManet's artistic approach seeks to unsettle viewers, prompting them to confront uncomfortable truths about human existence.

“Untitled (after Domenico Veneziano)” exemplifies this stylistic hallmark, showcasing a masterful blend of symbolic representation and sculptural precision. The artwork’s subdued palette—primarily blacks, grays, and subtle greens—amplifies the emotional impact, inviting contemplation on themes of duality and transformation.