Maurice Calka

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Maurice Calka (1921-1999) was a Sculptor and Designer who won the Premier Grand Prix de Rome, and during his lifetime two of his pieces of work achieved worldwide renown. The first is made of stone, in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and is ten metres high. The statue of the Lion of Judah, ordered by the Emperor Haile Selassie, who saw this as an opportunity to give a view of Africa entering modern times in 1955. This sculpture, easily identified by its silhouette, became a cultural symbol of afrocentrism. His second piece is a molded plastic desk – based on a polished stone and designed at the end of the sixties – as a limited edition. This piece of furniture was the forerunner of the objects designed during the rest of the following decade. It has been presented in numerous publications and exhibitions.Throughout his career, more than fifty monumental pieces of work of all types were created. Most of which were designed or created in his workshop in Rue Raffet. His implication in public art and the urban space led the sculptor to contribute to several architectural projects, fifteen of which were created.