The Practice
How a KAILA is made, who it is made from, and what it is made of.
Models & Consent
Every KAILA begins on a living person. Every cast is taken from a consenting adult, in a session agreed in advance and stopped at a word.
Models’ identities are protected: the work never shows a face, and no model is named unless they ask to be. The body in the work is specific and real; who it belongs to stays in the atelier.
The Process
In the words of the sculptor, Ričards Plinta
The process of creating the artwork begins with positioning the model in the required pose.
A two-component silicone used for body casting is applied to the skin. After it hardens, which takes only about ten minutes, several layers of plaster bandage are added. Once set, the plaster keeps the silicone’s shape after it is removed from the model’s body.
Next comes the sculpture itself: the silicone mould is filled with Acrylic One (a two-component material of water-based acrylic resin and mineral powder), along with several layers of triaxial fibre. When the two components are combined, they form a material that is pleasant to the touch and durable.
After the resin hardens, post-processing follows: sanding rough edges and fixing small imperfections. These so-called defects, which I prefer to call artefacts, are an inseparable part of body casting, because of the very limited curing time of the silicone and the human factor.
The work is then ready to take on its final appearance: its character, its colours. Countless techniques are used to reach the result: various painting methods, gilding, ageing, rusting and others. The only true limit is imagination.
Being Cast
Custom Made can mean your own body. The session is private, in the atelier: no cameras, no audience, a companion welcome if you wish.
The silicone that touches skin is made for body casting and sets in about ten minutes. How long the whole session takes depends on the complexity of the pose; the finished piece then takes its place in the calendar.
The mould belongs to the commission. It is cast once and destroyed, unless you ask us to keep it.
Materials & Care
Each piece is cast in Acrylic One, a water-based acrylic resin with mineral powder reinforced with triaxial fibre, then finished by hand and sealed. Weight and dimensions are stated with each piece.
Pieces sit free-standing. Wall mounting is arranged on request, with fittings matched to the cast.
Care is simple: a dry, soft cloth. No water, no solvents. Keep saturated and gilded finishes out of direct sun. Patina ages with dignity; pigment should not have to.