The title references the Buddhist concept of emptiness: the idea that phenomena do not possess inherent, fixed meaning, but arise through interdependence and interpretation. Here, the shark is not denied its physical presence; rather, its psychological weight is exposed as something constructed. The sculpture becomes a mirror, reflecting how thought precedes reaction, and how naming precedes belief.
Emptiness of Shark
The sculpture takes the iconic form of a shark—an animal deeply embedded in cultural myth, media, and fear—and renders it hollow, its surface composed entirely of the repeated word “shark.” In doing so, the work collapses representation and language into a single structure, asking where meaning truly resides: in the object itself, or in the mind of the viewer.
Emptiness of Shark
Emptiness of Shark (details)
For collectors and institutions, Emptiness of Shark functions as both a visually commanding object and a conceptual anchor. The piece invites viewers to confront the layers of association they project onto a familiar form—danger, power, menace, beauty, mythology, commerce, conservation—revealing how perception is conditioned by language, memory, and cultural narrative rather than direct experience.
Mock-up / Shark Sculpture by Michael Cardacino
Mock-up / Shark Sculpture by Michael Cardacino