FORM-Idea

One morning, while walking my young puppy through the Bordeaux Botanical Garden, I encountered a group of devoted animal lovers. Among them was a Shiba Inu whose playful companionship my English Cocker Spaniel had come to anticipate. The Shiba’s owner turned out to be more than just a fellow dog enthusiast—he was Hugo Durante, a rising voice in the French contemporary art scene.

Our morning walks blossomed into conversations—about animals, yes, but soon about sculpture, mythology, decay, and the strange poetry that links them. Durante spoke of his fascination with what he calls “the ghosts of gardens”: crumbling statues left to weather in silence. Where most might see loss, he sees latent potential—echoes of the past waiting to be reawakened through art.This impulse reflects a spirit akin to that of early archaeologists—those who shaped forgotten lives from fragments in the soil.

At the heart of Hugo Durante’s sculptures is a meditation on ruin and rebirth. But rather than evoke desolation, his work pulses with a quiet vitality. His vision of the apocalypse is not fiery destruction, but transformation. He draws on the original Greek root of “apocalypse”—apokálypsis, meaning revelation.In this spirit, Durante creates sculptures that hint at what’s been lost, but also what might still emerge. There is no despair in his work—only a fierce hope at the edge of collapse.

This quote, from Bordeaux-based scholar Engélibert, encapsulates the soul of Durante’s artistic mission.

Durante’s inspirations stretch across time and culture. While grounded in ancient mythology—Celtic, Egyptian, Eastern, Scandinavian—his references often leap into pop culture. One recent sculpture was shaped by the line “I cry when angels deserve to die” from Chop Suey by System of a Down. For him, it became a haunting refrain at the heart of creation.This blending of the ancient and the contemporary is a hallmark of his practice—where alchemy meets punk, and sacred symbols meet sci-fi aesthetics.

Though his art explores deep philosophical and emotional currents, Hugo Durante resists easy categorization. He doesn’t align with political or conceptual trends dominating the French art world. Instead, he speaks of dreams, transformation, and mystical landscapes—worlds not easily defined by logic alone.In doing so, he carves a unique space in the contemporary French sculpture scene, embracing mystery as a mode of resistance.

Born in Tulle, Corrèze, Durante maintains a deep affection for his roots—its legends, medieval architecture, and cuisine. He’s even created miniature duck-shaped barbecues—a whimsical tribute to French culinary tradition and the rustic heartland he cherishes.

Nature is central in his work. Carnivorous plants, snakes, and mythic beasts often slither through his sculptures. The snake, especially, appears as a symbol of rebirth and transformation. It’s no wonder that the Botanical Garden of Bordeaux remains a beloved source of inspiration for him—both a living myth and the setting of our serendipitous friendship.

Through our affection for dogs, for nature, and for unexpected beauty, our conversations expanded from everyday encounters to speculative worlds. Hugo Durante’s work asks: What lies beneath the surface? What ghosts linger in forgotten spaces? And what might we awaken if we only dared to look?