Putin

Cole’s ceramics have been referred to as ‘3d political cartoons’, jarring conventional or customary political observation to gain a fresh perspective on globalisation and mass production. Here with ‘Putin’ we see Cole’s figurative purpose, the portrait sculpted remarkably realistically, but subtle accentuations of personality and character suggest a harder fought, more ironic rendering of the man — the tiny feet, the strange apparition-like quality thrusted upon him with exposed white clay left for flesh tones. The small and vivid red concealed within his hands an easy metaphor from the artist of Putin’s bloody history, or a concealed sympathy ongoing for Russia’s past red soviet ideals.