A teensey tiny world – Willard Wigan’s sculptures

I’ve always been fascinated by tiny things. Most people are. I can almost guarantee, if you take a matchbox out of your pocket and just push the little drawer out very slightly, most people will home in on it and ask you what’s inside – and they’re not looking for the answer ‘matches’. They think you’ve got a scorpion, or a jack-in-the-box, or a pinched emerald, or something else interesting.

Now, the kind of thing you can put in a matchbox is huge compared to Willard Wigan’s sculptures. Remember the Biblical story about the rich man and the eye of a needle? Well here is a man who can get nine camels through the eye of a needle!

His microscopic carvings have to be seen to be believed. Tutakhamun’s head – charioteers charging – skyscrapers and buildings – sweet white pussy-cats – it’s all there. I don’t know how he does it; you can’t afford shaky hands when you’re working on something just a couple of millimetres in size.

And when I say ‘have to be seen to be believed’, I’d better also tell you that you’re going to have to use a microscope. That’s just how tiny these things are.

Is this great art? Well, I’m not sure. Some of these works I suppose you could just call curiosities. But then on the other hand his microscopic Lloyds Building is one of the most impressive things I’ve seen for a while – a jewel-like, startling work.

Where: 40a Museum Street, WC1A 1LU[map]

When: Tues-Sat 10-6

How much: £2 admission (£1 children and concessions)

Photo:  Camels in The Eye of a Needle

©Willard Wigan