A sculptor with a bent for optical illusion has devised an incredible way to soften rock—or so it would seem to those who behold his work. Appearing to defy the laws of physics, Spanish artist José Manuel Castro López carves hunks of quartz and granite—some small, some massive—into fluid, undulating forms: folded like fabric; squeezed like soft sofa cushions; pressed; compacted; drawn; wrinkled; twisted; or pinched. Some of his works are finely polished to mimic a bead of water on stone; others are skillfully aged to defy the senses still further. López, an incredibly prolific artist, takes each stone’s natural shape and texture into consideration before arriving at a final design. His works range from delicate pieces that fit in the palm of a hand to monumental works which appear to weigh several tons. “I adapt to its essence,” López, 61, explained to My Modern Met. “I take advantage of its …