Spanish sculptor Jordi Díez has unveiled his latest work, titled ETERNITY. Made entirely of stainless steel, the sculpture sits inside Malta's tallest skyscraper, the Mercury Tower. Specifically, it can be found in the hall of the Zaha Hadid-designed Me Malta Hotel, engaging in a design conversation with the legacy of the late architect's work.
The artist describes the 12-foot wide and 7-foot tall piece as a depiction of an “expanding mind” that creates its own reality. “For some, it could be a possible definition of what a human being is,” Díez explains in a statement. “Rather than capturing a figure, I try to capture the energy that animates it. ETERNITY, ultimately, is the manifestation of vitality.”
The artist points to the static nature of the sculpture as something that evokes “a power that is striking by its very presence.” ETERNITY‘s vacant eyes, on the other hand, are a nod to the classical sculpture tradition. “As an inheritance of what was originally nothing more than the result of the erosion of time in the empty eye sockets of Roman bronzes, ETERNITY has no eyes, evoking the gaze that sees everything without focusing on anything,” Díez says. “The eternal gaze.”
It took Díez almost a year to build the sculpture. Due to the complex nature of the stainless steel, there was no room for error. And yet, the sculptor loves working with stainless steel for the creative opportunities it offers. While Díez has previously experimented with materials such as wood, stone, and clay, he discovered a new world of possibilities when he worked with steel.
“It is a unique material, as if it were in a different reality from other materials. Its lack of color makes it a mirror of its surroundings,” he said in an interview with Fronius, the company that provides his welding power sources. “It can be gold in a sunset, or ice in a winter sunrise. It is flexible, light, the way I work it. With a unique structural strength, and exceptional corrosion resistance, as long as its laws are respected. This absence of color, and my way of working it, with lightness and the presence of emptiness, make it a material that can express immateriality, spirit, energy.”
Díez's commitment to this material is so deep that he even creates his own hammers and stainless steel tools to meet the needs of each project, mostly out of technical necessity to avoid tainting the steel. The effort is worth it. After all, this material has provided him the perfect medium for his goal—a celebration of the human figure—whether it's a more abstract piece like ETERNITY or his famous sculpture of Rafael Nadal, located at the legendary Roland Garros stadium.
To stay up to date with Díez, follow him on Instagram.
Spanish sculptor Jordi Díez has unveiled a sculpture titled ETERNITY.
Made entirely of stainless steel, the artwork sits inside Malta's tallest skyscraper, the Mercury Tower.
The artist describes the 12-foot tall and 7-footwide sculpture as a depiction of an “expanding mind” that creates its own reality.
“Rather than capturing a figure, I try to capture the energy that animates it. ETERNITY, ultimately, is the manifestation of vitality.”
Building this sculpture took Díez almost a year due, to the complex, unforgiving nature of stainless steel.
And yet, the sculptor loves working with stainless steel for the creative opportunities it offers.
The sculpture can be seen in the hall of the Zaha Hadid-designed Me Malta Hotel, engaging in a design conversation with the legacy of the late architect's work.
Jordi Díez: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Jordi Díez.
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