We`d
like to introduce you a sculptor who is challenging classical conventions though the creation of contemporary bestiary, or classical book of animals, in bronze. In the distinctive sculptural universe of Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, a Danish-born, New York-based artist, his bronze animals are anything but ordinary.
Best known for his iconic Hippo Ballerina – 15-foot, 2.5-ton bronze sculpture adorned in a copper tutu – now permanently installed at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus, Skaarup blends classical technique with mischievous storytelling, bringing his surrealist’s imagination to every piece he creates.
His animals are not just charming, they’re layered with deep meaning. Inspired by Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen and the dancing hippos of Walt Disney’s Fantasia, Hippo Ballerina vividly illustrates Skaarup’s ability to reinterpret subjects and themes found in ancient myths, art history, modern animation, and contemporary popular culture.
In his grand “Circus” installation, the animals themselves run the show. Inspired by the late-nineteenth century circus where costumes, banners, and colors created a neo-baroque symphony of larger-than-life forms and displays, these sculptures reinterpret the pageantry and performative spectacle of the circus through an art-historical lens. In this fantastical cast of characters comprised of 33 sculptures, we meet a Hippo Ribbon Dancer, Rhino Strongman, Giraffe Clown, Sea Lion Juggler, Elephant Magician, Bear Roller Skater, Crocodile Tightrope Walkers, and many more. Each work draws on a vast palette of influences from medieval bestiaries and Renaissance allegory to pop culture, mythology, and modern-day satire.
Skaarup’s bronze sculptures offer a rare balance of gravitas and playfulness. They are both conversation-starters in public plazas and treasures in private collections, bringing a refreshing lightness to the often austere world of sculpture. His work has shown in museums and galleries across Europe and the U.S., with critical acclaim following each new installation. He is currently represented by Cavalier Gallery, with locations in New York, NY, Palm Beach, FL, Nantucket, MA, and Greenwich, CT.
