I sing the body electric…
I see my soul reflected in Nature…
If anything is sacred the human body is sacred…

—Walt Whitman

The Cueros Series comes from years of exploring the relationship between the figure and the natural world. In every series in which Victor Hugo has thoroughly researched form, whether it be geological, biological, or astrophysiological, the aim is a return to ourselves, the birthplace of humanity mixed with the life experiences of the present, the Venus of Willendorf woven through the memory of a night spent with a great love.

It is at this sensual and earthen crossroads that Victor Hugo created these porcelain sculptures. The curves speak to Victor Hugo’s celebrated ability to render the human figure in a few lines, thousands of works on paper can attest to that mastery earned. Here too in this body of work, you see the depth of the artist’s relationship with form and sculptural composition which is inherently set apart from 2-dimensional sensibilities. One must consider the figure in the round, from all sides, each angle presenting a different way to experience this kinetic architecture.

The body exists in fluid and solid states, soft and possessing integrity that the eye is trained to pass judgment on. It is the natural lyrism and easy way in which we take in these sculptures that give evidence to their beauty. They are poetic and strong. They sit in the palm of your hand and yet could be dozens of feet in all directions. The originals are formed from clay and are intended to be cast in bronze. They are celebrations. To borrow from Walt Whitman, Cueros sings the body electric, if anything is sacred, the human body is sacred.