Jiří Mašek

Jiří Mašek considers himself a sculptor-official. His hands create stories that are etched into people’s faces, which is why he chooses those who speak to him and whose stories inspire him. He is from Písek, where he studied Artistic Metalworking at the Secondary Technical School. He has always been fascinated by sculpture; he experimented with various materials, but lead captivated him the most. According to him, lead casting involves an element of artistic randomness, which gives the final piece a rough appearance with delicate details.

“The heads were first sculpted from clay based on a series of photographs. After molding, I cast them in either plaster or lead. Lead usually destroys the mold, so only a few pieces can be cast—sometimes just one.”

Mašek’s heads are not merely reflections of well-known figures, but also expressions of and captures of moments of connection on a personal level. Each face offers an opportunity to reflect on the stories we experience, and each is unique. The sensitive handling of detail, the strength of the material, and the roughness of the execution reflect the life story of the figure, speaking through the artist’s hands. The immediate proximity to these faces allows viewers to look into the eyes of a person they would otherwise never have met face-to-face, creating a moment for dialogue and self-reflection.