‘ Joy is something magical. It has the power to make the most incredible things possible. ’

Igor Ustinov

A creative spirit. Sculptor, trained opera singer, biologist and even inventor.

Born in London in 1956 as the son of Sir Peter Ustinov and the Canadian actress Suzanne Cloutier, Igor Ustinov initially studied art at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts in Paris. He then completed a degree in biology at Paris VII and also studied singing at the Paris Conservatoire.

Igor Ustinov

Sculptor, artist, inventor, creative mind

Despite the recognisable, typically Ustinovian versatility of his interests, Igor Ustinov focused on sculpture.

One of his teachers was César Baldaccini, one of the most famous French sculptors and representatives of Nouveau Realisme. However, Igor Ustinov not only made a name for himself as an artist, but also as an inventor. At the 45th International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva, he was awarded the prize for the best invention for the Ustinov Construction System for low-cost and waste-reduced building.

Igor Ustinov

Committed do-gooder in the fight against prejudice

In addition to the Ustinovs’ unavoidable artistic ambitions, Igor Ustinov is socially committed and continues his father’s humanitarian legacy.

Together with Sir Peter Ustinov, he founded the Sir Peter Ustinov Foundation in 1999, of which he is now Chairman of the Board of Trustees. He is also an active member of the advisory board of the Ustinov Institute for the Study of Prejudice in Vienna. The Ustinov Prejudice Awareness Forum, which serves as a platform for dialogue on the topic of prejudice and also promotes social diversity and cosmopolitanism, was also established under his leadership and patronage. Igor Ustinov is also a trustee of the Winds of Hope Foundation (Swiss foundation to combat the disease Noma in Africa) and the Carène Foundation, which is committed to education and the preservation of tradition.

Igor Ustinov

Works by Igor Ustinov

As a sculptor, Igor Ustinov works with bronze. In his opinion, it is the metal that immortalises the presence of man. Most of his works show the movement of life with deliberate associations to dance and the many famous family members who have designed sets and costumes for ballet and opera. Igor Ustinov models elegant, elongated bronze sculptures that often reach upwards, captured at significant moments in life. His figures usually have no face, the heads are highly abstracted and reminiscent of the number one to represent a supra-personal and supra-temporal reality.

An overview of Igor Ustinov’s works and solo exhibitions can be found here.