Contemporary Wood Sculpture by Willy Verginer

Italian sculptor Willy Verginer (on exhibition at Montreal’s Galerie LeRoyer) was raised in the Val Gardena region, surrounded by the summits and forests of the Dolomite Mountains which became an important influence in his work.

Verginer uses a unique sculptural language that combines technical mastery with conceptual depth. Trained in the centuries-old woodcarving tradition of Val Gardena, he roots his work in craftsmanship while asserting a distinctly contemporary vision. 

“The landscape I live in is incredibly beautiful, and it shapes both my material and my themes. Wood, my raw material, ties me to a long tradition of carving, yet it also serves as a metaphor for resilience and vulnerability. Surrounded by such nature, it feels inevitable that my work addresses the tension between beauty and its overexploitation, reminding us of the fragile balance we so often disrupt – Willy Verginer

Verginer’s works are composed of several blocks of wood, dried naturally over six years to avoid morphing. He uses a chainsaw and a hatchet to form the sculptures, refining them with chisels and small tools for such things as the eyelids or earlobes of his figure.

His sculptures, often life-sized, are meticulously carved from wood and then painted in crisp, clearly defined color fields, a choice that turns them into true visual metaphors, his gallery says.

Throughout his career, Verginer has explored ecological themes, for example juxtaposing oil drums, wild animals and clear-cut forests to bear witness to the fragility of ecosystems. (see much more here)

His compositions draw from art history, mythology, and personal narrative. 

Willy Verginer’s website, here.

His artist page at Galerie LeRoyer, here

(The Exhibition – titled runs through October 15, 2025)