Artist and sculptor Robert Sutz, of Scottsdale Arizona, has been creating art for over 60 years, per his count. Since 2000 his passion has been creating life masks of Holocaust survivors to preserve their memory and story. Sutz’ father lost his entire family to the Nazi’s. Though well-known in local art circles and the Holocaust survivor community, I was first introduced to his art this past April by pure chance.
Robert Sutz Steps up for a no-show speaker
I showed up for a presentation at Scottsdale Community College by a well-known survivor in the Phoenix community. When the scheduled presenter didn’t show, the event facilitator, with on-the-spot adaptation, identified Mr. Sutz in the audience and soon invited this quiet-spoken gentleman up to the podium and microphone. Sutz’ art had been highlighted at the previous year’s (2014) genocide conference. But it was new to me.
Life masks or beautiful sculpture? Either way they portray real people.
I like the term “life” mask, because these start as plaster casts of real, living people, as opposed to the more depressing “death masks” I’ve seen, such as those of Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon Bonaparte and Alfred Hitchcock. This also explains why, even though someone had previously tried to describe them to me, I needed to see Sutz’ art before I got it.
Sutz begins with a cast of the head and face, and with that foundation, creates a fully painted bust representing the head and shoulders, with a few artistic exceptions. I view Sutz’ unique art form more as painted sculptures, each one a sort of Impressionist version of a precisely measured wax figure in Madame Tussauds. None of these masks are for sale.
While I can’t include any pictures of his masks due to copyright, I do include a link to a professionally produced YouTube video about the art of Robert Sutz. I found the eight minutes of viewing very interesting.
You can also visit his web site at Robert Sutz
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I have been following Ribert’s work for years, from his extraordinary watercolors to his life masks. His brother & sister-in-law, Wink Blair are dear friends. He is doing so much to educate people. Thank you for hilighting him & his work. Talented and compassionate!
I was fortunate to win a group of about ten Sutz paintings at a local auction here in Ottumwa, Iowa, about thirty years ago. I feel very privileged to possess them.
Wow, what a treasure. How wonderful you kept them. He continues to receive recognition. They are building a museum in downtown Phoenix to hold his collection. Thanks for reading!