Dan Nueleanu - Alter Ego: The Unseen Shape of Creativity

Name : "Alter Ego"

Artist: Bogdan Nueleanu

Materials: Recovered Bronze & Stainless Steel, Welded

Size: 50/23/20 cm

Year: 2021

Status: SOLD Apr.2024

"Alter Ego" - Artist: Bogdan Nueleanu

The work titled "Alter Ego" was born out of an unexpected yet significant experience at the Bronze Symposium in Csongrád, Hungary. It was the result of an unforeseen incident—one where the meticulous process of casting bronze was interrupted by a break in the mold, an accident that led to the creation of a mass of molten metal. While casting a sculpture is a rigorous process requiring not only precision and focus but also patience and intense labor, this accident opened the path for a work with a far deeper meaning than initially anticipated. For any artist familiar with the bronze casting technique, such an interruption would typically be seen as a failure, an insurmountable obstacle in the creation of the artwork. However, in the face of this incident, I chose to look beyond the apparent destruction and found in the ruin created by the molten metal a new direction, an unexpected potential. The mass of bronze formed by the pressure of the metal was discovered within a layer of granite sand, and at first sight, I noticed the contours of a human profile. This form spontaneously evoked the image of an elderly figure, an "alter ego," which led me to shift my initial intention and transform the incident into a piece of art. The title of the work, "Alter Ego," reflects the essence of this transformation, not only in the physical plane of the sculpture but also in its symbolic meaning.

In a psychological sense, "alter ego" represents that part of the self that is often hidden or undisclosed. It is another "I," a different facet of the personality that can surface under certain conditions—a "self" that we often ignore or suppress, yet it exists within each of us. In this context, the work becomes a meditation on the duality of the human being, on how, in the face of inevitable change or an uncontrollable incident, we can discover hidden sides of our own personality.

The key element that adds depth to this work is the stainless steel eye, a detail that breaks the chaotic texture of the bronze and serves as the "mirror of the soul." The eye is a symbol of consciousness, inner vision, and the way we perceive the world and relate to it. Welding this eye into the structure of the sculpture is not merely a technical gesture, but a philosophical one as well, meant to invite the viewer to look beyond the surface of the material and penetrate the essence of what this work represents. Symbolically, the eye represents a point of intersection between the external and the internal, between concrete reality and the subtle world of thoughts and emotions.

This work highlights the continuous process of learning and personal evolution, both for the artist and for every human being. The accident that altered the course of the piece became a catalyst for a new perspective on my own creativity. In this sense, Alter Ego becomes a symbol of adaptability, of the ability to transform the impossible into an opportunity for growth. It is a reminder that, in daily life, the inevitable and the unpredictable can open new, unexpected paths that allow us to redefine ourselves and create original and meaningful things.

Alter Ego: The Unseen Shape of Creativity

Alter Ego: The Unseen Shape of Creativity

Thus, from a traditional technique meant for casting a sculpture using lost-wax casting, emerged a work that transcends the simple manufacturing process and becomes a profound reflection on the human condition, transformation, and creativity. "Alter Ego" is not just a work of art; it is a philosophy, an invitation to introspection, and an awareness that within each of us exists a multitude of undefined possibilities that can take shape and come to life in unforeseen ways, depending on how we choose to view the world and face it.