Eric Vanel
Eric Vanel’s figurative sculptures invite the viewer to explore the delicate boundaries between reality and fantasy. Through expressive poses, powerful gestures, and carefully constructed narratives, his works evoke a world in which the human figure becomes both familiar and mysterious. Working primarily in bronze and resin, the artist combines technical precision with a deeply emotional and imaginative approach to sculpture.
Before dedicating himself fully to art, Eric Vanel worked as an engineer. This previous professional experience gave him a strong understanding of structure, materials, and technical processes, allowing him to quickly master the complex constraints involved in modelling, moulding, casting, and finishing sculptural works. His technical background now supports an artistic practice in which movement, balance, anatomy, and expression are developed with remarkable attention to detail.
Vanel trained with internationally recognised sculptors associated with the contemporary revival of figurative sculpture, including Grzegorz Gwiazda, Robert Bodem, Brian Booth Craig, Eudald de Juana, and Philippe Seené. These encounters contributed to the development of a personal visual language that combines classical influences with contemporary sensibility. His sculptures are characterised by their expressive intensity, dynamic compositions, and ability to suggest stories that extend beyond the visible form.
His work has received recognition in several important competitions, exhibitions, and art fairs in France and abroad. Among his distinctions are a Mention at the Salon des Artistes Français, the Grand Prix de Sculpture de Barbizon, and a Gold Medal at the Salon International de Peinture et de Sculpture de Vittel. His work has also been selected for international events such as the Figurative Art Convention & Expo and the Art Renewal Center Salon. Eric Vanel is also a member of the Taylor Foundation.
Today, his sculptures are held in private collections in France and Germany. He regularly exhibits through traditional and online galleries, as well as at major French art events, including the Salon d’Automne, Art Capital, and Terre et Flamme. Alongside his independent artistic production, he also accepts selected commissions, creating personalised works that maintain the emotional strength, narrative depth, and technical quality that define his sculptural practice.
Precision
Discipline
Materiality
Precision Discipline Materiality
Eric Vanel seeks to touch the soul. His vivid figurative sculptures, defined by powerful and expressive attitudes, tell stories that provoke emotion, raise questions, and take us on a journey between reality and imaginary worlds. The artist’s favorite themes are the strength and intensity of the feminine, as well as the personification of the wild world and its instinctive energy.
Nourished by ancient myths and the imaginary universes of modern literature, Eric Vanel’s sculptural work draws inspiration from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque tradition, particularly Bernini, the neo-Baroque language of Carpeaux, and the contemporary work of Grzegorz Gwiazda. These influences come together in a personal artistic vision focused on movement, emotion, and symbolism.
Each sculpture is first modeled in clay on a semi- flexible frame, allowing the formal research to remain open throughout the creative process.
Through the choice of pose, gaze, gesture, and the path of light across the surface, each character becomes imbued with an experience and an additional soul that brings it to life. The molding is carried out directly from the raw clay to guarantee a faithful and precise transcription in bronze. The colors and nuances of the patina, applied as the final touch, fully participate in the meaning and emotional impact of the work.
In front of the sculpture, the viewer becomes the witness of a presence, a suspended moment, and a fragment of life imbued with mystery. Each work resonates with the spectator’s own journey, creating an encounter between determination, sensitivity, imagination, and boldness.
On the Cover - Jorge Egea
SPECIAL SCULPTURE
The Summer Special Issue of The Guide Artists Magazine Has Arrived
This new edition presents an extraordinary special dedicated to sculpture, featuring acclaimed Spanish sculptor Jorge Egea on the cover.
Jorge Egea (Zaragoza, 1975) is a sculptor specializing in the modeling of the human figure. He studied at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Barcelona under the influence of sculptor J. S. Jassans, where he also serves as a professor of sculpture. His artistic and academic career has established him as one of the leading voices in contemporary figurative sculpture.
This issue marks the beginning of a new chapter dedicated to the great masters of sculpture, bringing readers closer to the work and vision of some of the most remarkable creators of our time. An edition designed to celebrate the power of form, the beauty of the human figure, and the enduring legacy of sculpture in contemporary art.
The great sculptors of our era arrive at The Guide Artists in an essential summer special issue.
