27. Petite pyramide rouge [1972]

Horia Damian's artistic style would come across a completely different approach starting from 1964, when he executes the first pyramid in relief. Hence, he created his archetypal-iconographic cycles, often bearing architectural elements as centrefold. Influenced by ancient Egyptian architecture, Damian imprints the metaphysics of the matter into his creations, hence approaching the deeply symbolic prototypes of the sacred space. A symbol of ascension, the pyramid accommodates the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh, whose last wish is to rise towards the peak of the monument, for eternity. In the artist's work, the pyramid appears as a method of glorifying life and death; a stairway to the skies, as well as an equitable representation of harmony and unity. In the cycle dedicated to pyramids, Horia Damian focuses mostly on shape. He opts for a monochrome colour range, he used a mixed technique and wagers on the three-dimension non-formal representation of the sacred. In this work, by using red, the artist assigns characteristics such as danger or courage to a space which centres and materialises cosmic energies. By using an expressive style system and an architectural and cosmic vision, Damian continues the monument creators" tradition. His geometry can no longer be assigned to the terrestrial dimension, as its lines and shapes rather converge to the celestial one. Eventually, the artist's work becomes a complex meditation about the sky and infinity.

References

The catalogue of the exhibition "Horia Damian", National Museum of Contemporary Art, September-October 2009.

Dimensions

depth 5 cm, width 42 cm, height 46 cm

Description

acrylic, plaster and wood, signed and dated on the reverse, by sgrafitto, "Damian, (19)72"

Dating

1972

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