Balkio is a sculpture by contemporary French artist Jacques Owczarek.

This bulldog in bronze takes shape through a series of lines and edges. The animal's characteristics are recognizable: its silhouette, its head and its legs. But the peculiarity of the artist's interpretation comes from the clarity of the shape, the sharpness of the lines, the sculpture's geometric aspect. Enough elements to make this sculpture a unique piece, brimming with emotion.

Jacques Owczarek is self taught. He discovered sculpture at the age of 30 and considers that he was really born at that moment. Hard worker, he crafts his pieces with extreme thoroughness and is on an eternal quest for perfection. He never starts a piece with a fixed idea of an animal in mind, this all comes together during the creative process. He even admits: "I take some clay, I work it and I observe it. I try and perceive some sort of animal and progressively it'll come to me. It's the clay that is talking and my hands are just interpreting."

His animal sculptures are incredible: seen from one angle it is impossible to imagine the form they would take from another point of view. You have to circle the piece to discover all the different aspects. Much sensibility but also humor arise from his sculptures which seem to reflect the soul of their creator.

For more information about the production of this piece, click here.