Urs Fischer has made a candle sculpture of Leonardo DiCaprio and his parents in wax

Urs Fischer’s “Leo” on show at Gagosian gallery in Paris © Stefan Altenburger

Gagosian Paris is presenting new works by Swiss contemporary artist Urs Fischer. Titled “Leo,” the exhibition centers upon a candle sculpture of Leonardo DiCaprio along with his parents, George DiCaprio and Irmelin Indenbirken which will melt slowly over the course of the exhibition.

Urs Fischer’s “Leo” on show at Gagosian gallery in Paris © Stefan Altenburger

The larger-than-life size work, made in a foundry in Switzerland, is composed of a double portrait of Leonardo DiCaprio. One portrays him chatting to his father, who is standing separately, and the other—which is linked to the first like a conjoined twin—portrays him embracing his mother, the two of them smiling.

“I’ve known Leo for years, we have common friends and have been on vacation [together],” Fischer says. “He asked me to do a portrait of him and normally I say ‘no’ [to commission requests] but some months later I said ‘yes’. He is someone in control of his image and I thought it would be interesting to situate [the sculpture] outside of that [professionalism].”

“ I asked if he could do it with his parents. He said yeah, he was totally game, it was cool all the way. We all met, and we tried to figure out, and we went in with an open mind. ”

A view of the wax portrait on the day of the opening at Gagosian

Produced in a delicate palette of white and pale pink, with care taken to convey the folds and creases of fabric in the trio’s clothes, the multi-perspectival sculpture has already been set alight. The wick above the upright “Leo” is slowly dripping black wax down his hair and T-shirt. As the ephemeral work gradually melts away over the course of the exhibition, the piece will become lined with black, creating a kinetic, transformative effect. Fischer will be giving an edition of the piece to the actor.