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Claudio Aun

"I was born in São Paulo in 1943, to a family of wood joiners. I spent a good part of my life in the furniture workshop and to this day, I remember how huge logs of wood were transformed into tables, wardrobes, chairs, and sofas. However, I was starting to feel uncomfortable about the idea of chopping down trees in order to make pieces of furniture. That's one of the reasons why I refuse to sculpt in wood. When I do need a piece of wood for my work, I use the chippings I find on the floor.

"I've always had a penchant for recycling, even at a young age. I just needed to find a shell, a seed, or a dry leaf, to create something different.

"I can safely say my career began in 1969, and I cannot deny my passion for the works of Salvador Dalí – master of Surrealism – as well as my admiration for Vincent Van Gogh. I don't follow a specific line of work or style. I enjoy making use of my intuition and above all, my imagination. I tend to explore the limits of my creativity.

"I studied at the Institute of Visual Arts, Design and Marketing, and took several courses there after graduation, because I was interested in learning how to work with a variety of materials.

"Later, I moved from São Paulo and now feel I have always lived here. I regard my house as my paradise. It's a haven in which I can create, develop, and integrate my works. I like to use different materials such as bronze, resin, marble, and brass. In some cases, I include dry wood chippings, jeans, glass, or any other thing that helps to express my vision of reality.

"I'm constantly in search of new information to share with my students – I am a Fine Arts teacher in several schools, including Brazil's National Museum of Fine Arts.

"I'm concerned with creating a singular piece and its esthetic beauty, but without building something specific. I like to create the opportunity for people to get to know my work and awaken in them, a personal reaction to my work."