PRESS RELEASE
Dylan Lewis | New Leopard Maquettes
Oct 24 – Nov 6, 2025
DYLAN LEWIS | New Leopard Maquettes
24 October – 6 November 2025
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Dylan Lewis is one of South Africa's most acclaimed contemporary sculptors, internationally recognised for his powerful portrayals of wild animals, particularly big cats. Over the past several decades, Lewis has established himself as a master at capturing the primal essence and muscular energy of Africa's predators.
While his oeuvre spans both animalia as well as human figures, Lewis’s cat sculptures represent the cornerstone of his artistic identity. For the artist, large cats are archetypal symbols of wilderness and these new bronze maquettes reveal his extraordinary ability to convey both the physical might and spiritual essence of these apex predators. Lewis's cats are not only anatomically precise representations, they are also emotionally charged vessels that explore themes of wilderness, predation, and transformation.
Lewis’s sculptures emerge from his deep knowledge of these animals, gained through extensive observation in the wild, anatomical studies and sketching and drawing. His technical mastery allows him to capture the tension in a leopard's haunches before a leap, or the focused intensity of its gaze.
Lewis has long been inspired by the words of British sculptor, Henry Moore: ‘The secret of life is to have a task, something you devote your entire life to, something you bring everything to, every minute of the day for the rest of your life. And the most important thing is, it must be something you cannot possibly do.’ Through his sculptures, Lewis has not only shaped his artistic voice but also contributed significantly to contemporary wildlife sculpture, creating a body of work that speaks to both primal instincts and refined aesthetic sensibilities. This exhibition will remind collectors that Dylan Lewis is one of the most profound animaliers of his time.
