Šime Vulas
(1932-2018)
Slanting Sails, 1967
carving, wood
87 x 54 x 22 cm
MG-4046

Šime Vulas graduated in 1958 from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, in the class of sculptor Vanja Radauš, under whose mentorship he later refined his skills in the Master Workshop, developing vertical, abstract compositions imbued with lyrical harmony and a refined sense of materiality.
In his early period, he shaped his sculptural expression in wood, exploring the rhythm of surfaces and the internal dynamics of volume, while later synthesizing abstract forms into monumental compositions, regardless of their scale. Although entirely non-figurative, his work reflects a deep connection to the Dalmatian tradition, where mass and form are balanced in a tense spatial relationship. From 1975, in a series of biblical sculptures, he employed dramatic contrasts of mass, light, and shadow, often further emphasizing them with color.
The sculpture Slanting Sails is created using the principle of modular repetition of forms, generating dynamic vertical structures imbued with rhythm and spatial tension. Slanting Sails arranges a sequence of angular forms resembling sails, achieving a sense of movement and balance. The sculpture is executed in wood, where the emphasized cuts and texture of the material further enhance the raw energy and internal strength of the volume.

Text: Lorena Šimić, curator at the National Museum of Modern Art © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb
Photo: Goran Vranić © National Museum of Modern Art, Zagreb