Not Vital (b.1948) is from the mountain village of Sent, located in the Engadin valley (Switzerland). He currently lives and works in Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, and Sent. Vital studied art in Paris and Rome before moving to New York in 1976. He is an unconventional sculptor in many ways, not least because he also produces extraordinary prints, drawings and, (since 2009) paintings. Vital leads a nomadic life, and this directly influences his work, as he often engages with local materials and craftsmanship. For example: in Murano (Italy) he worked with glassblowers; in Niger with the Tuareg silversmiths; in Bhutan with papermakers, and in Beijing with steel-welders and woodworkers. The subject matter often revolves around animals and nature, yet Vital presents these familiar sights to us in wholly unexpected ways. Since 2000, his practice has expanded to include buildings such as houses, schools, towers, bridges and tunnels, which blur the boundaries between art and architectures. These constructions are permanent structures, many of which can be seen in his sculpture park in Sent - as well as in Belgium, Brazil, Indonesia, Niger and Patagonia.