World-famous micro-sculptor Willard Wigan MBE is set to wow a live audience as an exhibition of his work at Staffordshire University. Wigan will show examples of his work which fit into the eye of a needle and are invisible to the naked eye. The Midland micro-sculptor has produced work for the likes of Simon Cowell, Mike Tyson and even The Queen. The exhibition is at Staffordshire University’s Science Centre until this Friday (March 22). It includes the world’s smallest guitar – on show for the first time.
[h3]Willard Wigan Art [/h3]
Willard Wigan is an artist like no other, while his artworks are often called “the eight wonder of the world”. The British artist became famous all over the world for his microscopic art which is literally microscopic. The sculptures he creates are typically placed in the eye of a needle or on the head of a pin. Wigan’s sculptures can be as small as 0.0002 inches or 0.005 millimetres.
[h3]Early Life [/h3]
As a child, Wigan suffered from an undiagnosed dyslexia and was ridiculed for his learning difficulties by both his classmates and teachers. He said that this drove him to creating miniature sculptures which got smaller and smaller. In an interview for the BBC, he stated that he discovered his talent as early as the age of 5 and that it has been an obsession for him ever since.
[h3]Willard Wigan Art [/h3]
Since no other known artist creates anything like Wigan nor was miniature sculpturing created at a such a small scale before, the artist’s works soon attracted a lot of attention not only due to their extraordinary small size but also for an outstanding attention to detail which is incomprehensible for sculpture of microscopic size. His career as an artist reached its height in 2007 when he was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his contribution to art. The MBE was presented by the Charles, Prince of Wales.
[h3]Wigan’s Artworks [/h3]
Wigan uses a variety of subjects for his artworks, ranging from popular culture to works by other artists and historical events. He said that he needs about eight weeks to create one sculpture and that sculpturing microscopic artworks is physically difficult. Besides specialised tools, he also needs to control his breathing and nervous system because he cannot afford even the smallest twitch or movement while sculpturing. Materials he uses range from grains of sand, gold, dust fibres, etc. depending from one piece to another. The paint is applied with a hair of a housefly.
The most famous Wigan’s microscopic sculptures include Michelangelo’s David that is carved out of a grain of sand, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Peter Pan, the Incredible Hulk, Betty Boop, FIFA World Cup trophy, the Statue of Liberty and many others. Some of the most recent works include the statue of Buzz Aldrin during the lunar landing in 1969 and the Obama family, both of which are placed in the eye of a needle.
[h3]Staffordshire University Exhibition & Seminar[/h3]
Staffordshire University lecturer Gary Hudson, who as a BBC reporter was the first to put Willard’s work on TV, will be leading a Q and A with the artist on Saturday 16 March at 11am.
He said: “Willard Wigan has an extraordinary story to tell. It’s a brilliant coup for Stoke-on-Trent. Staffordshire people appreciate creative genius. I hope they come and have a look, because seeing really is believing.”
Saturday’s event, will also feature the world’s smallest guitar – it too has never been seen before in public.
Famously, Willard has immortalised the Obama family in the eye of a needle, Marilyn Monroe on a diamond, Beatrix Potter and Disney characters, The Simpsons and historic tableaux including The Last Supper and Henry VIII and his six wives.
Ten of his microsculptures will be on public display in the Science Centre until March 22.
For more details and to reserve your place for the talk email public@staffs.ac.uk or telephone 01782 295860.
