News from a traditional immigration destination: British micro-sculptor Willard·Wigan recently presented a micro-sculpture to Queen Elizabeth II for her upcoming 90th birthday: a tiny gold particle engraved with the Queen's portrait, embedded within the eye of a needle. Though the master has passed, the works he left behind continue to allow us to experience the profound beauty of art.
As a renowned master of micro-sculpture, Wigan's works are typically invisible to the naked eye and must be viewed under a microscope. He once carved the words “Nothing is Impossible” onto the edge of a razor blade, which was later purchased for collection for 50,000 Euros.
Because the sculptures are extremely minute, Wigan went to great lengths to avoid any vibration interference during the carving process: in the dead of night, he would hold his carving tools, weigh down his right arm, wear a stethoscope, and wait for his heart rate to drop, then carve in the brief intervals between heartbeats.
To maintain excellent cardiovascular health, the then 70-year-old Wigan insisted on swimming for 3 hours every day, abstained from coffee while working, and would take medication to keep his heart rate at a low level of under 20 beats per minute. In addition, he regularly received Botox injections to smooth wrinkles around his eyes and keep the skin firm, preventing drooping eyelids from affecting his vision.