Sculptures en Bois & Objets Artistiques
Shadow of the Dragon-Fish — biomorphic sculpture from a solid century-old olive root
«Ryūgin no Kage»
A sculpture that captured the instant of metamorphosis. A biomorphic form, born of a dialogue with the ancient root, balances between the fluidity of the carp and the mighty twist of the dragon. Exclusively hand work (carving, sanding, oil polishing) reveals the inner dynamics of the material. An image of the courage to change and of hidden potential.
Description
Concept
In Japanese myth, the carp (koi) that overcomes the waterfall turns into a dragon. This sculpture captured not the myth itself but the instant of metamorphosis — that very moment when the scales still keep the memory of water, while in the curve of the spine the strength of the celestial serpent is already awakening.
The form was born in a dialogue with the root, in which nature itself had outlined this transformation: the smooth, ‘fish-like’ curve suddenly breaks off into a powerful, twisted knot reminiscent of a dragon’s mane or jaw. This is not a hybrid but a flow of matter passing from one state into another.
The work is built as a revelation
- Removing the excess: revealing the dynamics laid down in the wood fibres.
- Sanding: creating a surface where light glides as over wet scales and lingers in the deep ‘dragon’ furrows.
- Polishing with tung oil: the oil brings out the natural colour of the wood — from ashen grey in some zones to warm golden brown in others, creating a play of light like movement under water.
The work embodies the balance between the eternal essence of the material and a form caught in the perpetual motion of transformation. It is an object of meditation on the courage to change and on the hidden potential dormant in every seemingly finished form.
Technical note
The sculpture is created from a single fragment of root by manual subtraction, followed by multi-stage sanding (from 80 to 7000 grit) to achieve a perfectly smooth yet living surface. The final finish is repeated application and polishing with oil, which emphasises the texture and ensures durability without forming a glossy film. Every line follows the anatomy of the wood, making the process a discovery rather than an imposition of form.
The artist’s haiku for the work
The branch became a fish,
The fish — the shadow of a dragon…
A quiet cycle.Hanko
Additional information
| Weight | 30 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 135 × 60 × 30 cm |
| Artist | Hanko |
| Material | solid olive root (Olea europaea), tree aged ~300 years |
| Year | 2024 |
| Series | Transformations |
| Edition | 1/1 — unique work |
| Technique | hand work: carving, sanding, oil polishing |
| Aesthetics | biomorphism, Japanese mythopoetics |
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