EUGENIE LIGTHART
sculptures
Heads in Cement: Between Fragility and Strength
My sculptures explore the essence of expression. Some are a spontaneous tribute to Chaïm Soutine, whose raw portraits continue to inspire me. Others emerge from unconscious thoughts, as if my hands know what to create before my mind does.
Casting in cement calls for compact, smooth forms, yet I am drawn to pushing those limits—a protruding ear, a slender neck, a curl of hair. The contrast between delicate fragility and the hardness of cement creates a tension between softness and strength, chance and control, giving each piece its own story.
Children's Portraits of Stories an Memory
This collection of ceramic sculptures and portraits was inspired by my sister’s stories of the 'Pale Noses'—children sent to post-war vacation colonies to recover their strength. Their vulnerability and resilience became the starting point for this work.
Over time, the portraits evolved into a family, reflecting not only the 'Pale Noses' but also my four sisters and myself. What began as a tribute became a personal exploration of memory, connection, and childhood—between vulnerability and resilience, light and shadow.
