Clark Bronson

Clark Bronson was born in Kamas, Utah, in 1939. The son of a game warden, he showed an early talent for illustration. He studied at the University of Utah but felt frustrated because he was not learning about his true interest, which was wildlife art. Bronson apprenticed for three years with Arnold Friberg and then was hired by the Utah Game and Fish Department to do illustrations. He was especially noted for his watercolors. Later, Bronson began sculpting and working in bronze also gained a reputation for that medium, especially for bird subjects. In about 1970, he abandoned painting for sculpting. Later, in the 1990s, Bronson moved into making films about wildlife.

Figurative sculptures mix reality and imagination, with the most common muse being the human body. Animals are also inspirations for these sculptures, along with forms found in nature.

While figurative sculpture dates back over 35,000 years, the term came into popularity in the 20th century to distinguish it from abstract art. It was aligned with the Expressionist movement in that many of its artists portrayed reality but in a nonnaturalistic and emotional way. In the 1940s, Alberto Giacometti — a Swiss-born artist who was interested in African art, Cubism and Surrealism — created now-iconic representational sculptures of the human figure, and after World War II, figurative sculpture as a movement continued to flourish in Europe.

Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon were some of the leading figurative artists during this period. Artists like Jeff Koons and Maurizio Cattelan propelled the evolution of figurative sculpture into the 21st century.

Figurative sculptures can be whimsical, uncanny and beautiful. Their materials range from stone and wood to metal and delicate ceramics. Even in smaller sizes, the sculptures make bold statements. A bronze sculpture by Salvador Dalí enhances a room; a statuesque bull by Jacques Owczarek depicts strength with its broad chest while its thin legs speak of fragility. Figurative sculptures allow viewers to see what is possible when life is reimagined.

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