MARIANA
MONTEAGUDO
SCULPTOR
Biography and Statement
Biography
"Award winning Sculptor Mariana Monteagudo is a visual artist who has been working her series of doll sculptures over the last decade.
Her latex, ceramic and mixed-media figures are unique, intriguing and fascinating. Her artwork shows interest in a wide range of references, from the pre-Columbian aesthetics to fashion, tv pop culture, Japanese manga and mass-market toys.
Muñecas (Dolls) is the generic term Monteagudo uses to describe her creations since 1998. With them, the artist has received important awards and exposure, and her pieces have been featured in solo and group shows and fairs in Madrid, Miami, Chicago, Aruba, Caracas, New York, Sao Paulo, and other venues.
Her unusual characters have attracted the attention of critics and her work is part of the MOLAA Museum in California, Everson Museum, NY, Cesar Gaviria Trujillo Collection, among other contemporary art collections."
Evelyne Politanoff, THE HUFFINGTON POST
Statement
Over two decades ago I made a group of small statuettes with plaster, ceramic, cloth and wax. Anything that I had at hand.
These statuettes had an unsettling look. They spoke by themselves with a loud voice. No prejudices, no preconceptions.
This burst of spontaneity produced the dolls I’ve come to be known for. They were born unscripted. And that’s how they look. Ever since I made the first one, I have continued feeling the urge to produce more.
The creative process has remained basically the same since day one. It is natural and intuitive. I go out on a scavenger hunt to find materials and inspiration; whether it is the hardware store, a thrift shop, or simply strolling around my neighborhood on trash day.
As spontaneous as the statuettes came, they are also the result of my life-long held belief that there is no ignoble material. Everything can be reused. With love, perseverance, and creativity and there’s always a place for a second chance.
The dolls -how I like to refer to them- are now part of me. I plan to go on making them as long as I feel an urge to challenge myself, explore new materials, and find new combinations.
