Somers, Xavier

Belgium, 1970

Mixed media

Xavier Somers caught the travel bug early on and explored the four corners of the world as a young adult. His remarkable sculptures take shape during walks and travels where he observes everything and finally performs it. Somers’ work is propelled by the mechanics of gears, hinges, and springs; a style that closely resembles 19th-century machinery.

He manages to combine these mechanical parts with elements of classical Greek sculptures of gods and goddesses, resulting in a titillating combination of mythology and science fiction. Armed with parts from clocks and other mechanisms, supplementing his arsenal with elements of organic origin, Somers shapes his creative, imaginative and vibrant universe.

Somers’ works of art are stunning at the same time and invite you to let your imagination run wild. The artist’s quest for meaning, for the meaning of existence, with the beauty of the ephemeral, forms the common thread through a cleverly constructed oeuvre and a genre that he can call completely his own.