“Faraoväsen” by Karin Ward (born 1940) is a compelling sculptural work crafted from copper plate, partially painted, that reflects the artist’s interest in mythology, transformation, and expressive form. The title, translating roughly to “Pharaonic Being,” evokes ancient archetypes and ceremonial presence, aligning the work with a symbolic, almost totemic tradition. The use of copper — a material associated with both durability and mutability — is central to the piece’s character, its surface oxidized and textured to suggest age, mystery, and ritual. Ward’s technique combines metalworking with painterly interventions, layering patina and pigment to blur the boundary between sculpture and relief. “Faraoväsen” stands as a powerful, enigmatic figure — part deity, part guardian — and is representative of Sweden’s rich tradition of materially poetic, often mystical modernist sculpture.
“Faraoväsen” by Karin Ward (born 1940) is a compelling sculptural work crafted from copper plate, partially painted, that reflects the artist’s interest in mythology, transformation, and expressive form. The title, translating roughly to “Pharaonic Being,” evokes ancient archetypes and ceremonial presence, aligning the work with a symbolic, almost totemic tradition. The use of copper — a material associated with both durability and mutability — is central to the piece’s character, its surface oxidized and textured to suggest age, mystery, and ritual. Ward’s technique combines metalworking with painterly interventions, layering patina and pigment to blur the boundary between sculpture and relief. “Faraoväsen” stands as a powerful, enigmatic figure — part deity, part guardian — and is representative of Sweden’s rich tradition of materially poetic, often mystical modernist sculpture.
