Small worlds
They are so tiny, they could fit onto a pinhead. The micro sculptures of British artist Willard Wigan fascinate people.
Wonderland of miniatures
You have to look very closely to see that what British artist Willard Wigan is holding in his hands is not just a regular needle. It is art, or to be more precise, micro art. The pinhead is actually a tiny FIFA world cup. It’s not visible to the naked eye; Wigan’s figurines come alive under a microscope. No wonder, the sculptures are only about 0.005 millimeters (0.0002 inches) large - or small.
Microscopic art
A direct comparison shows how tiny Wigan’s miniatures really are. The golden galleon would easily fit through the eye of a needle. Wigan currently presents the top 20 of his art pieces at the Museum for Art and Industry (MKG) in Hamburg - obviously under a microscope. Compared to other works of art, Wigan’s pieces have a clear advantage: they conveniently fit into one’s pocket.
Houses for ants
What sparked Wigan’s fascination for tiny things? Ants. In school Wigan, who was born in 1957, suffered from an inherent learning disability, which caused his fellow classmates to make fun of him and bully him. So Wigan created his own world in miniature form, building tiny, fully furnished houses for his ants.
Small but mighty
According to the artist, this led to an "obsession." His sculptures had to become smaller and smaller, such as this copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. One Bible verse especially challenged Wigan: "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." With his art he wants to prove that small things can be mighty as well.
No compromises
Wigan makes the tools for his micro sculptures himself: needles made of tiny ruby and diamond splinters. He uses them to carve, cut and shape the miniature works under the microscope. Wigan says he doesn’t make any compromises. He considers himself a sculptor rather than an artist, and the public is only privvy to the perfect micro sculptures. The rest get tossed.
An eyelash as paintbrush
These tiny scissors balance on one of Wigan’s eyelashes - his most important working device. Lashes serve him as a brush to paint the figurines and buildings. Before, Wigan used to convert the hairs of flies into brushes, but he found that human lashes work just as well. Wigan’s sculptures are made of various materials like carpet fiber, gold, Kevlar and plastic.
Between heart beats
When crafting delicate details, such as here the three little pigs and the wolf shown here, Wigan uses the time in between two heart beats. That’s only one and a half seconds in which his hands are completely steady. But his breathing can pose a threat as well. He once inhaled the replica of Alice‘s Adventures in Wonderland. Since then he only breathes very carefully.
An 18-hour work day
Wigan’s body is an important tool for his work. He uses his body to create art, such as this "Yellow Submarine" piece based on the famous movie and album by the Beatles. Wigan thus keeps in shape and can transfer himself into some sort of meditative mood, he says. Working on one sculpture can take up to two months, and an 18-hour work day is not uncommon.
From Cinderella to acclaimed artist
Wigan’s tiny sculptures have garnered prizes. For more than 10 years, the sculptor has managed to live off his "tiny art." His story sounds a little like Cinderella’s fairy tale, which is depicted in the picture above. Formerly an alleged underachiever, Wigan has made it as an acknowledged artist. You can see more of his art at the Museum of Art and Industry in Hamburg until March 16.