74th International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas

Nostalgia, Motacilla alba

Bronze on old plough and wood, 89x120x70 cm.

Inscription: ' To my father, heir of a culture which is almos lost-'

Nostalgia, Motacilla alba (Detail)

This sculpture is the result of my second casting. It has been selected for the 74th International Contest of Visual Arts in Valdepeñas.. If you remember, last edition, I was also selected by my work Alba.  

Cover of the catalogue

Page of the catalogue where the selected work appears 

Pictures of the opening

From left to right: D. Manuel López Rodríguez, Deputy Mayor and responsible for Culture, Commerce and Tourism Area of Valdepeñas Town Hall; Dª. Tania Blanco, Gold Medal of the Exhibition; D. Dis Berlín, guest artist and member of the jury in  the present edition; D. Felipe Garín Llombart, Art History Professor and museographer, ex-director of El Prado Museum and Spain Academy in Rome, and current Director of the Museum Consortium in Valencian Community and the Arts Institute El Carmen and member of the jury and D. Jesús Martin Rodríguez-Caro, Mayor of Valdepeñas, during the opening  ceremony of the exhibition. 

Images of the opening 

My little daughter, Andrea Gaia, and me next to the work 

Third casting

Casting wax:  From left to right:my father, my brother-in-law, me and José 'Picanio'.

During these summer weeks and with a trip to Lisbon in-between, I have melt by myself for the third time. My mates Ándres and Lolita couldn't come this time, so I felt like facing final  exams. I have been alone during the whole process; well, that's not really the truth as my brother-in-law, my father and  José 'Picanio'have been there giving me a hand when it was needed.

Removing casting wax

All the moulds after casting wax 

I've recorded some videos of the melting but they're not high-quality.

All the pieces after melting 

This time I've melted eleven micros (direct technique with crucible of ceramics shell incorporated). Three of them will be part of a new work and the rest are proofs and part of pieces which didn't turn out well in previous castings and which I'll use to repair them.

Here is my new work: 'PRIVATE HUNTING PRESERVE, Athene noctua - Smerinthus ocellatus'.

Sketches and studies of the work 

Wax model of Athene noctua

Wax model of Smerinthus ocellatus

I'd also like to show you the casting tree of the main piece (the little owl). I've divided it in two micros in order to facilitate the casting process.