William Sweetlove
Artist Biography
WIlliam Sweetlove born in Ostend, in 1949, is a Belgium Artist who is known for his eco-friendly animal art. With remarkable imagery, he mockingly denounces narrow mindedness and addresses our basic humanity; our world is a borrowed thing, our actions should never be at the expense of animals. Throughout his career Sweetlove has sought to further the concept of Art as an antidote to overconsumption and overproduction. He has presented his work at over 600 exhibitions worldwide. He was commissioned by the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens for an exhibition of more than 60 penguin sculptures. He has also been working on a major art project in collaboration with the Vatican.
Sweetlove's sculptures made from recycled plastic or metals - are a whimsical representation of fantasy and fact. The multicoloured animal artworks look like oversized toys at first but the contrasting additions such as boots, backpacks and PET bottles disrupt our childhood associations. These suggest survival gear as water shortage has become one of the greatest global challenges. Though amusing, Sweetlove's animal kingdom reflects a serious interest in the future of the environment. His sculptures express his concern over the rapid climate change that could lead to catastrophic decline in available nature resources.
William Sweetlove, unites Dadaism with surrealism and pop art in humoristic sculptures that at first sight may seem “kitschy”. However, closer familiarity with his works reveals their role as a creative antidote to the overproduction and over consumption of our society. With his cloned animals William Sweetlove calls for greater ecological awareness and urges us to reflect on the consequences of the climate change challenging humanity. His cloned dogs wear boots since the sea level rises and the penguins carry water bottles since we are running out of drinking water. William Sweetlove has had exhibitions at art fairs, galleries and museums all over the world. His works are found in several private art collections. He has also participated in different art manifestations worldwide together with the Italian Cracking Art Group.