Sculpture explores life’s evolution, transformation

A new exhibit by sculptor David Constantino Salazar entitled Forever Birds-Botanicals continues at Gallery Lagom until March 24. This intimate collection coincides with Salazar’s larger solo installation of the same name at the prestigious Museum London. The artist will be doing a talk at the gallery this Sunday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m.

Salazar is a Canadian artist known for his sculpture that explores symbolism and heritage, offering meaningful stories for a global audience.

Originally from Ecuador and now based in Toronto, his work blends his South American roots with his Canadian experiences.

With a Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Art Media and Design from OCAD University, Salazar combines artistic vision with academic insight.

For this show, Salazar created each piece by carefully crafting birds from clay and then throwing them against his studio wall and/or marring them with his hands, dramatically changing their form. This process symbolizes the natural evolution and transformation of all living things. The Forever Bird-Botanicals installations, both in Creemore and London, combine bird shapes with plant elements in terra cotta, porcelain, and bronze, exploring the theme of transformation in contemporary culture. Birds, often symbols of freedom, love, peace, and divinity, are deeply meaningful in South American folklore, where they frequently represent shapeshifting in stories. Salazar’s birds are in a state of transition, as if between life and death, with botanicals growing around their altered forms.

Contributed photo: David Constantino Salazar with Gallery Lagos owner Laurie Severn (right) and curator Liz Eakins (left).