UK visitors can now experience a unique exhibition featuring microscopic art pieces that fit inside the eye of a needle. From April 8 to October, Wollaton Hall in Nottingham will host “Miniature Masterpieces,” a free exhibition showcasing 20 sculptures from renowned artist Willard Wigan.
The Tiny Masterpieces
Wigan’s miniature masterpieces include a depiction of “The Last Supper” featuring Jesus and the 12 apostles, sculptures of William Shakespeare and Albert Einstein, fictional characters like Pinocchio and Robin Hood, and a recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” The exhibition will also feature four never-before-seen art pieces that form part of Wigan’s “Disappearing World” collection, which reflects biodiversity in danger and promotes conservation.
According to John Bowden, Wigan’s manager, the exhibition hopes to connect art with the message of small things mattering in a disappearing world. The artist’s work is the smallest artwork that anyone will ever see that will have the biggest impact on them, Bowden said.
The Creation Process
Wigan’s miniature sculptures are made using incredibly small tools made from sharpened acupuncture needles and microscopic shards of diamond. He paints his sculptures using an eyelash and must work between each of his heartbeats, as even a heartbeat can cause his fingers to move, and one mistake can take a long time to correct. Wigan must train his dexterity and keep his body in good condition to complete his painstaking work, which can involve working on four or five sculptures at a time, for up to 16 hours a day, for five weeks. His work was once gifted to Queen Elizabeth II. He has created unique pieces of art that have broken records, including a motorcycle made from 24-carat gold and placed in a hollowed-out hair, which will be on display at the exhibition.
The exhibition will also include an outreach program that will take “Disappearing World” into schools in Nottingham to spread the message that small things we can do together can create significant changes. Wigan sees his work as a voice that speaks for him, the world, and the planet. He plans to exhibit 14 camels he sculpted and placed in a single needle’s eye in the future.
The “Miniature Masterpieces” exhibition is a unique opportunity to view stunning microscopic sculptures from artist Willard Wigan.
