Valdek Laur

• Cosmetics of manhood
• Tutor: Eve Margus, Piret Hirv, Nils Hint, Urmas Lüüs

In the modern world manhood has become a cosmetic caricature. A real man has lots of money, expensive cars, a villa at Spain (or at least a mansion at Läänemaa), finely ordered living space, tasteless golden trinkets, six-pack and an obedient wife. A real man doesn’t ask, he tells. A real man thinks with his own head and knows how it is – he doesn’t need to learn, doucle check or inquire. And a real man doesn’t waver from his goal, even if it means breaking some eggs.

But what hope is there for those who don’t meet the standards? If I don’t like to solve an argument with fists, have no money, am ordined to endure an emancipated woman and can’t even have a tattoo (’cause fear of needles)? If I can’t exercise the cosmetics of manhood, am I even an actual man?

Could the solution lie in the beliefs of our forefathers, of the magical transference of characteristics? If I would make myself a regalia worthy of Andrew Tate or Joe Rogan, will I become more manly? If I would eat the testicles of Jordan Peterson or Mihkel Kunnus, would I have any hope of becoming a real man?

The final pieces are bull’s testicles cast in bronze and aluminium. The casts have been made from an organic object, as well as photogrammetrically scanned and digitally sculpted 3D-prints.

Bronze, Aluminium