WCI 72 Bonus Photos – Skeletal Remains
By Kathleen Ryan
Maskull Lasserre transforms flea-market finds into eerie works of art by carving internal bones and muscle structure that were never there before.
“My work really begins where the rest of the world ends. I like to start with a material that has some history,” said Maskull. After discovering woodcarving 10 years ago, the Canadian artist has specialized in carving found-wood items such as books, musical instruments, tools, furniture, and doors.
Recently, he has been taking the idea one step further by re-carving previously carved objects. “I thought this would be a good way to pay homage to the material, labor, and care that had already been invested. By giving them a life-like anatomy, I infer a past life or existence—a potential they might once have enjoyed.”
Maskull does most of his work in his Montreal studio using standard hand-held and electric carving tools that include everything from an angle grinder to a Dremel. He starts using the largest tool possible, for as long as possible, and works his way down.
He said, “I spend a good amount of time just looking and thinking before I start—being careful not to let my ideas get in the way of what is actually happening in front of me once I get started. The better listener I am, the more faithful the work ends up. For better or worse, it is the process that really engages me. I am done only when the potential of the material is manifested to the best of my ability.”
For more information, visit Maskull online at www.maskulllasserre.com.
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