Balinese Guardian, Marble

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Matteo Pugliese
Balinese Guardian, Marble
2017

About the Item

This is a hand carved marble work. It depicts a highly detailed Balinese warrior adorned with flowers, swords and an impressive mask of the demon queen, Rangda. This demon queen has also been identified with the Hindu mother warrior goddess, and Kali, the mother goddess of destruction, transformation and protection in Hinduism.. This sculpture, from the Guardians series was displayed during the artists first US Museum exhibition. This sculpture is a part of an edition of only 6 pieces, each with a unique terracotta face. The Guardians represent all cultures throughout the world, they are centered beings here to protect us. Pugliese's work has been shown and collected internationally, with a major U.S. museum exhibition in 2018. Throughout history and across cultures, people have created objects to symbolically protect themselves and their families, their homes, and other meaningful spaces. With this abiding practice in mind, Italian artist Matteo Pugliese created his sculptural series The Guardians. The impetus for this body of work began in the 1990s, when the artist started collecting figural amulets, each of which embodied protection, grace, and determination through various cultural lenses. Gazing ahead stoically, Pugliese’s guardians have substantial mid-sections, and large, exaggerated feet. They are strong and grounded, centered and calm. The guardians are meticulously adorned with distinctive details, such as hand-carved marble florets, miniscule chainmail, intricate lacing, or painstakingly applied coins. The figures’ distinctive patinas and individual, hand-carved terra cotta faces further speak to the heritage they represent. For instance, the artist employed an earthy, rust patina that recalls the deserts of the western United States for the Native American guardian, and powder white accents reminiscent of snow for the Inuit guardian. At once formidable and familiar, the guardians are poignant symbols of protection. In a poem he wrote on the series, Pugliese gave voice to the sculptures: I am here, I protect you. I guard your walls and the warmth of your home… I will stay with you and watch your world take shape in front of you… I am here, I protect you. Italian sculptor Matteo Pugliese moved to Sardinia in 1978, where he lived with his family for the next 12 years. During this time, he developed a strong love for drawing and sculpting and worked on his artwork without any formal education. In 1995, he was awarded a degree in Modern literature from the University of Milan with a thesis on Art Criticism. In 2001, he rented a private space in the center of Milan and there, he organized and financed his first solo exhibition. Only 18 months later, he held his first “official” exhibition in a gallery in Milan, and just months later, he held another solo show in Brussels. Today, his works are on permanent display in galleries in Italy and in major cities throughout the world, such as Rome, Hong Kong, London, Brussels, Lugano and Antwerp. His works have been shown at some of the most prestigious international art fairs such as the Hong Kong Art Fair, ArtFirst (Bologna), Miart (Milan), Arco (Madrid), Fiac (Paris), Eurantica (Brussels). In 2014, Pugliese was selected to create an installation in Italy’s oldest café, Caffè Florian, a very prestigious honor given to just one artist per year.

Creator:
Matteo Pugliese (1969, Italian)
Creation Year:
2017
Dimensions:
Height: 17.71 in (44.99 cm)Width: 15 in (38.1 cm)Depth: 11.41 in (28.99 cm)
Medium:
Terracotta,Marble
Movement & Style:
Contemporary
Period:
2010-
Condition:
Gallery Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU98413611472

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