Sculptor Robin Kutinyu brings the beauty of the natural world to life through his art
Robin Kutinyu is a stone and metal sculptor who has an international reputation and an impressive portfolio that covers a variety of styles and materials. He’s best-known for his humanoid figures, African equine animals and endangered species.
Filling spaces with shapes that connect observers to the raw essence of humanity, Robin Kutinyu’s work reminds us that we’re carved from the same spirit, bound to the divinity and sentience of the natural world.
‘My father was an acclaimed sculptor who specialised in wildlife and was also an oil painter. I began sculpting at the age of five, doing rhinos and finishing my father’s pieces. Having honed my skills, I sold my first collection of sculptures when I was 10: birds and turtles. Ever since then, I’ve been obsessed with animals, the human figure and sculpture, and the movement and anatomy of animals and humans.“
“Another characteristic I got from my father was to excel in everything I did as if I were born to do it. Having this attitude will help you advance to the next stage of your evolution. Always put in 100%, and you can’t go wrong,” says the artist.
Kutinyu’s been in South Africa for over two decades. I ask him if his birthplace, Zimbabwe, influences his work. “It’s not that I’ve detached from my roots, but I’ve always seen myself as a more rounded, universal artist with a zest for evolution and individual identity. I’m influenced by the world, not just where I came from.“
With his work, Kutinyu attempts to capture the essence of his subjects and immortalise a specific moment. “My work’s about the soul of my subject, not just it’s outer form worked to perfection. I’ve made my way from understanding my material and the possibilities this gives me to turn an abstract idea into an image or a concept.“
He finds capturing human movement challenging because it’s so varied. Studying the likes of master sculptors Donatello, Bernini and Rodin, Kutinyu discovered the different forms the human body can be presented in. Choosing the right expression and media for an idea is what sets his work apart.
If someone were to sculpt him, how would he like them to capture his soul? ‘That’d be difficult,’ he replies. “I have multiple personalities, which means I’m one thing today, but tomorrow I might be something else. I’d want them to capture every single part of me – artists make the worst subjects for this reason. If I had my sculpture long enough, I’d want to change it,” says Kutinyu.
“For me, it’s important to evolve, and for my work to maintain a sense of being new. It must be relevant enough to attract an audience. You either evolve or stagnate, which is why I challenge myself to be innovative and maintain my creativity.”
“I think humans are creative by nature, but they can also be nurtured. You can’t learn true creativity because it’s intrinsic. It’s what drives you to be innovative, enables you to produce magic, and it’s what gives you your signature style. That, to me, can’t be learned. It can only be nurtured by a master or, in some cases, it can be self-taught.”
When a sculpture’s born, it’s usually given a title, which in many cases is significant. But it’s not as linear for Kutinyu. “My process of naming my sculptures is bizarre. I’ll only come up with a name during the final stages. Not only is it the last thing I do, but it’s also the most difficult. It’s more the energy of a piece that brings it to life than its name. The most significant prerequisite for my work is that it has to radiate life.”
He maintains his creativity by working on multiple projects at the same time and draws inspiration from a range of sources. ‘A sculpture might develop from an idea that forms in my mind. A certain texture may create an image or I might travel thousands of kilometres to stumble upon an unexplored quarry,“ he says.
“I’ll wander around in it, listening to the stone, calling out to me to be worked on. Quite often, I see a complete sculpture in nature. It could be a rock formation, as an example. There’s never a shortage of ideas but the problem is finding the time to execute them all. Unfortunately, you can’t do everything you want to in a lifetime.”
“Through my work, I hope to preserve wildlife, which is sadly vanishing by the day. I’d like to, at least, have my work studied hundreds, if not thousands, of years after I’ve gone. Most of all, I want to leave behind the legacy of my family name.”