I Spent 5 Years Making These Topographic Sculptures, Each With Up To 2500 Individual Pieces

My name is Octavian Mielu and I’m a self-taught artist.

One of my earliest memories is since I was four years old. I remember drawing on the walls of my parents' apartment. I was running back and forth, doodling on the walls, until my parents decided to renovate. Without walls as my canvas, I had to move on and explore other media. I’ve gone through coloring books, pen, crayons, paint, and most recently, digital art. I've created all kinds of art in a variety of media over many years.

In 2014, I saw some topographic maps that really inspired me, and I began to take my artwork more seriously. I wanted to make some real, hands-on art. After having been working digitally for a while, I found the process of working with physical materials again messy but much more satisfying. It took five years to complete this project. Over those years, I did many tests with a variety of different materials and paints, tried different designs, and also opened an art studio.

Each sculpture has up to 2500 individual pieces of different forms and sizes. Each one has to be cut and painted, and then the sculpture is assembled one piece at a time, leading to a unique piece of art.

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