Australian-born, French-raised artist Gil Bruvel doesn’t confine himself to one method of producing creative work. Whether sculpting, painting or creating functional art, Gil’s creative energy is seen in each of his pieces. This is especially shown in his Bending the Lines series, which uses simple materials to express complex metaphors relating to the human spirit.

Gil uses vibrantly painted wooden sticks that, when combined, turn into pixelated wooden faces. Similar to the classic pinscreen toy that some of you might remember from childhood, Gil’s pieces feature 3D relief motifs that appear as though they’ve been pressed through from the backside. However, Gil’s works reveal images of serene human faces and abstract patterns. From the front, many of the sculptures visualize calm emotions. But from the back, the wooden faces appear as a jumble of vibrant colour, representing the explosion of inner thought.

“These faces depict expressions of serenity and inner reflection, each purposefully structured into an example of meditative emotion,” says Gil. “Mimicking the depths of the human psyche, the artworks can be experienced with a new perspective from each perceivable angle into the creases and shadows of the individual sculptures.”

Duality is a key component of Gil’s series, as viewers are encouraged to explore every crevice and shadow of the sculptures. Though each wooden face is unique, their shared peaceful state helps evoke a sense of inner harmony achieved through deep thought. 

Many of Gil’s works depict these realistic human faces, however, some of his most recent pieces are inspired by emojis. We use these simple, graphic representations of emotion when communicating online, but Gil’s works highlight the intent and emotion behind these modern symbols. You can see more of his sculptures on his website and Instagram.

Source: https://mymodernmet.com/pixelated-wood-sculptures-gil-bruvel/