Artist 13: Sam Jinks

Similar to Ron Mueck, Sam Jinks is a hyper-realist figural sculptor who primarily works with silicone and human hair to create meticulously detailed pieces. Unlike Mueck, however, Jinks's body of work is characterized by a much darker, almost ominous sense of style. For example, his "hanging man" confronts the viewer with slightly distorted proportions--he is unnaturally small. Furthermore, he is presented in a most uncomfortable position which resembles a hung corpse or, as Robert Nelson's review suggests, jesus christ.

Sam Jinks's work is inspiring in a myriad of ways. On the one hand, his creations are so realistic that they may easily be mistaken for living human beings. On the other, he applies a subtle sense of distortion that allows for artistic control on how the viewer will react to the work emotionally. In this regard, Jinks maintains full control over the implications of his work while delivering a shockingly convincing representation that may frighten or alienate viewer. Ultimately, his art is a testament to transforming concepts into reality.

His website may be found here.