Daniela Ferdani

Capturing emotions

S wiss sculptress Daniela Ferdani creates stunning art, which captures the true essence of us humans: emotions. Her sculptures are a powerful celebration of the beauty and perfection of each individual body and succeed in communicating Ferdani’s own deep passion for the human figure.

As a 20-year-old studying French in Paris, Daniela Ferdani experienced her true calling when she visited the legendary Museé Rodin. “It was love at first sight,” she remembers today. “The sculptures by Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel touched me deeply.”

It would take a few more years until Ferdani actually gave in and dedicated her entire life to the art of sculpting. After many nude modelling courses across the whole of Europe, she finally went to Florence, Italy, and studied sculpture for three years.

“The human body with its beauty and power is fascinating to me,” she says. “With my sculptures I try and express emotions through body posture and gesture. I believe in the psychology of forms.”

Torso fragment, Bronze, 60 x 34 x 24 cm.

Ferdani’s inspiration comes from constantly observing the people around her and she admits with a smile: “Sometimes I catch myself staring at someone for a little too long again, and I feel guilty.” But it’s not just the faces she passes that inspire her. Sources for inspiration can be found in many places. An exciting performance of expressive dance, for example, or nature itself, and even psychology continue to inspire Ferdani’s work.

“I often look for female models who inspire me. It’s not uncommon for me to ask a stranger in the street,” she adds. “Together with the model, I figure out the authentic pose and gesture in order to capture the emotion and make a feeling visible.” Following Rodin, who once said ‘Life means movement’, Ferdani also carefully adds motion to her sculptures, which brings them to life. This is, in fact, a feature which Ferdani’s creations are frequently praised for. The faces of her sculptures are also often stylised, allowing the viewer to identify more.

Ferdani’s art opens our hearts and dives deep into the nature of human psychology. It explores genuine emotions and celebrates not just the human body itself, but also the human soul with all its beautiful flaws.

Dream Chiara, Bronze, 96 x 48 x 22 cm.

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