This sculpture, titled Goddess, was created in 2010 in Caranceves, Romania by Japanese sculptor Yasushi Hori.
Artist: Yasushi Hori
Title: Goddess
Height: 3.6 m
Location & Date: Caranceves, Romania, 2010
Material: Stone
Concept & Theme:
Goddess presents a monumental, highly abstracted female form emerging from a single vertical block of stone. Rather than depicting the human figure through realistic anatomy, Yasushi Hori reduces it to a powerful architectural silhouette, allowing the material itself to become part of the expression.
The sculpture is organized around a strong vertical composition. Two massive stone sides frame an open central void, while the upper section supports a rounded, bowl-like form that suggests a head, crown, or celestial symbol. The opening through the center creates a sense of lightness within an otherwise massive stone structure.
The contrast between solid stone and empty space is one of the defining elements of the work. The void appears to divide and simultaneously connect the two sides of the figure, suggesting the relationship between the physical body and an invisible spiritual presence.
The rough horizontal carving across the central surface preserves the natural character of the stone and gives the sculpture a geological quality. In contrast, selected surfaces are carefully smoothed, creating a dialogue between raw nature and human craftsmanship.
The rounded form at the top can be read symbolically as a celestial body, offering vessel, or divine crown, reinforcing the title Goddess. The work therefore does not represent a particular deity, but instead evokes a more universal idea of the feminine divine — a presence associated with creation, nature, fertility and the continuity of life.
Placed within an open rural landscape, the sculpture becomes closely connected to its surroundings. The distant church towers and expansive field provide a human and cultural horizon, while the monumental stone figure establishes a strong vertical presence against the sky.
At 3.6 metres high, Goddess occupies a scale between sculpture and architectural monument. Its simplified geometry, carved voids and monumental mass give it an almost megalithic character, suggesting an ancient sacred marker transformed through a contemporary sculptural language.
Overall, Goddess explores the relationship between humanity, nature and the sacred, using the simplest elements — stone, void, light and verticality — to create a contemplative monument to feminine energy and the enduring power of life.
