PAUL DUVAL
Biography
Inspired by working in bronze in Africa, Duval’s art education has been an on-going study of all aspects of producing sculpture: Soldering Course, Cimic, Saint-Georges; Casting, Maison des métiers d’art; Stone sculpture, Atelier Sculpt; Bronze Molding & Casting, Atelier Robert Bourassa, Visual Arts, CEGEP de Saint-Foy; Wood Sculpture, École de sculpteur; and Monumental Sculpture, Université de Rimouski, QC.
Duval has participated in numerous sculpture symposiums – including: Symposium international de Laongo, Burkina Faso, Africa; La galaxie des pierres levees, Les Lapidiales, Port d’Envaux, France; L’internationale de la sculpteur, Beauce Art, Saint-Georges, QC; Arts et Rives, Lac-Etchemin,QC; and Symposium de sculpteur, St-Jean Port-Joli, QC. His work has participated in numerous exhibitions in QC and France garnering many awards.
Duval was elected into the SSC in 2016. He currently maintains his studio in Saint-Georges while traveling the world participating in international sculpture symposiums.
Artist Statement
The representation of the body is the basis of my artistic approach. I sculpt in order to materialize the fantasy world within me. In creating my characters, I try to capture a movement, posture, gesture or attitude exploiting curves and sometimes voluptuousness. I’m inspired by the harmony of shapes and textures. To achieve this, I explore different materials such as bronze, aluminum, wood, paper pulp and stone. Whenever possible, they come from recycling (waste paper and aluminum plates). I also explore the integration of objects at the end of their functional life span.
I now use pulp as it allows me the pleasure and latitude of creating and setting free my inspiration. The paper stock is applied in layers, so I can work on the evolution of several of my pieces simultaneously. An addition of coloured paper sometimes enhances the gray of my favourite material. This medium brings out attitudes, emotions, group relations or even wounds. In a word, I think my work represents and distinguishes the human with a capital ‘H’.
