Sculpture Covers Vault
A curated collection and archive of the most important and iconic sculpture covers.
Candice Angelini
Candice Angelini is a French contemporary artist based in the South of France, where she lives and works alongside her husband, painter Christophe Prades, and their two children. Sharing the same studio space, both artists develop their work within a common visual universe, often exhibiting together while exploring different mediums and artistic expressions.
Her artistic journey began in the early 2000s with matière-based painting before gradually evolving toward more sculptural forms. Over time, her practice expanded into the creation of elaborate headpieces, masks, and art dolls, establishing a distinctive body of work that merges sculpture, adornment, and symbolic storytelling.
Angelini’s work is deeply rooted in a fusion of Art Nouveau aesthetics and shamanic influences, forming a poetic homage to nature. Her sculptural headpieces often incorporate references to animals, plants, and bones, enriched with delicate materials such as lace and jewels. Through this meticulous craftsmanship, she elevates each piece into a unique art object, emphasizing an intense attention to detail at every stage of the creative process.
CANDICE ANGÉLINI - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 14
CANDICE ANGÉLINI - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 14
CANDICE ANGÉLINI - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 14
Her visual language is also informed by a fascination with morbid aesthetics and historical representations of death, particularly from the 19th century. Practices such as post-mortem portraiture or the preservation of personal mementos, like locks of hair, resonate strongly in her work and contribute to its nostalgic and emotional depth.
Central to her artistic vision is the idea of transformation and passage between worlds. Her masks and sculptural forms often symbolize the transition between life and the afterlife, reflecting her belief in reincarnation and the concept of the body as a temporary vessel that changes across different existences.
Rather than aligning with a specific religion, Angelini draws inspiration from a broad spiritual perspective, where multiple belief systems contain fragments of truth. She believes in spiritual forces, nature spirits, and an underlying intelligence that surpasses human understanding, which informs the symbolic and ritualistic dimension of her work.
Her creative process begins with sensory inspiration drawn from everyday life—an atmosphere, a historical reference, a natural element, or even a fragment of text or memory. These impressions accumulate mentally before being transformed through her hands into physical form. For her, this initial phase of gathering impressions is the most essential and meaningful part of the artistic process, serving as the foundation for each of her unique creations.
Irina Shark
Born in Germany in 1982 to Russian parents, Irina Shark grew up in Ukraine and Siberia, then studied in Paris. She then fled to Hong Kong to work first as a linguist, then interpreter, then teach French in the universities and Alliance Française. She began to sculpt as an autodidact and plunged into it in a total and obsessive way. The sculpture took precedence over her everyday life, so Irina decided to give up everything and leave for Florence where she will live sculpture at the “Atelier de la Via dei Conti” with other sculptor artists. Here she quickly found a place in the circle of contemporary figurative sculpture.
Her first bronze was exhibited the same year by the Society of Portrait Sculptors in the prestigious Pall Mall Gallery in London. Now settled down in France she shares her time between Paris and Normandy where she has her studio.
After the first solo show “Creation” in Paris in May 2019 where she presented works in bronze surrounded by a series of photographs revealing the behind the scenes of the 8 months of work necessary to prepare the exhibition, she has already started to work on a new series of life size pieces. An ambition and secret project for now.
IRINA SHARK - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 29
IRINA SHARK - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 29
IRINA SHARK - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 29
The artist explains that her main interest is not only the final artwork, but the very moment of creation itself in the studio: the encounter between the artist and the piece, where energy, struggle, frustration, and beauty all emerge throughout the process. For her, art is born from this emotional and energetic interaction rather than from a perfectly defined initial concept. Although she always begins with an idea, she believes the final result depends on how the artist engages with these forces during creation.
Her sculptures are deeply personal and reflect her vision of life and the universe. She views the artist as a “filter” through which something universal is expressed, always shaped by individual experience. In her work, she seeks to convey a strong emotional presence, capturing immediate and authentic sensations. She works intuitively and quickly, using her hands and simple tools, prioritizing emotion over technical perfection or a highly polished finish.
After an early period as an academic figurative sculptor, during which she pursued perfection without ever feeling satisfied with the results, she came to understand that the goal was not absolute perfection, but rather discovering what she truly wanted to express. Since then, her process has become more intuitive and liberated, embracing imperfection and allowing space for mystery and the viewer’s imagination.
Her intention is to preserve the energy of the creative moment within the final piece, rather than concealing the traces of the process under an overly polished surface. She believes that this initial creative energy is the most valuable aspect of the work and aims for it to be directly felt through the bronze.
Angela Mía De la Vega
Exalting the human spirit through expressive faces and natural body movements has become the recognized hallmark of Angela Mia De la Vega's figurative bronze sculpture. The greatest inspiration for her work is the ever-changing individuality of her children.
Angela De la Vega graduated Summa Cum Laude from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and completed post-graduate studies at the University of Madrid, Spain. She is an elected member of National Sculpture Society, a Master Signature member of American Women Artists and has been named a Living Master by the internationally respected ARC (Art Renewal Center). Major awards include "Best in Show"
and "Best 3D Work" from AWA and "The Purchase Award" from ARC Museum. Her sculptures are installed in numerous universities, hospitals, public parks, and civic spaces throughout the United States, and are collected by individuals worldwide.
Angela is co-founder and president of FLITE to Freedom (Friends Lifting Individuals To Empowerment), a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and channeling the hopes and dreams of others by harnessing the power of artistic expression. FLITE members and supporters believe that creative activity empowers enslaved, burdened and marginalized people: www.flitetofreedom.com.
ANGELA MÍA DE LA VEGA - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 42
ANGELA MÍA DE LA VEGA - ON THE COVER - ISSUE 42
Since sculpting her first bronze in 1994, Angela Mia De la Vega has been creating figurative bronze sculptures for international collectors, corporations and institutions. Exalting the human spirit through expressive faces and natural body movement has become Angela's recognized trademark. Her work's greatest inspiration is the curious and ever-changing individuality of her children.
As I'm working, I find the sculpture gradually coming to life. The piece never seems finished; I want to continue its creation but have to push myself to finally let go.
Since sculpting her first bronze in 1994, Angela Mia De la Vega has been creating figurative bronze sculptures for international collectors, corporations and institutions. Exalting the human spirit through expressive faces and natural body movement has become Angela's recognized trademark. Her work's greatest inspiration is the curious and ever-changing individuality of her children.
As I'm working, I find the sculpture gradually coming to life. The piece never seems finished; I want to continue its creation but have to push myself to finally let go.
