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SaveGuardian of Enigmas
| Year of creation | 1996 |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 150 W × 280 H × 80 D cm |
| Weight | 30 kg |
| Type of art | sculpture |
| Style | abstract |
| Genre | allegorical |
| Materials | Mixed method |
Description of the Artwork “Guardian of Enigmas”
This sculpture stands as a profound symbol of mystery and knowledge, bridging the gap between ancient mythology and modern abstract art. The sphinx, an iconic figure in both history and folklore, is reimagined through the lens of Athos Collura's unique abstract style, evoking feelings of intrigue and wonderment. Its imposing structure at the confluence of cemetery, religion, and monument themes serves as a guardian of secrets, challenging viewers to decipher the enigmatic tales it holds. Set against the backdrop of its creation for a Congress in Capri, this piece captures the essence of enigmatic beauty, inviting onlookers to delve into the depths of allegorical interpretation.
Athos Collura, Italy
After a few years dedicated to an original experimentation with the collage technique, aimed at giving body and voice to political and social themes (1963-68), he became one of the most authoritative and audacious interpreters of the psychedelic movement in Italy, creating highly suggestive works, including the "Peacock Room", built in 1971-72, completely painted from floor to ceiling. From the 1980s onwards his work is characterized by an innovative metaphysics and surrealism, which define an autonomous research in line with the postmodern climate that was establishing itself. This period, of which the "Confini" cycle (1980/1998) is part, is characterized by compositions structured by images, associated with dreamlike and symbolic representations aimed at expanding the "borders" of the imagination. With the "Visual Codex" series, begun at the end of the nineties, the artist arrives at the crucial moment of his reflection on artistic and visual language, provocatively identifying the barcode as an icon of the consumerist drift of art: the work is characterized from the cancellation of the pictorial image and its illusory overturning, to the continuous search for an exploration of the boundaries of representation and pictorial writing.