XII Biennale of the Art of Peace

Messages of Peace. Pablo Atchugarry

On Saturday September 14 2024, in the presence of the artist, the solo exhibition “Messages of Peace” by Pablo Atchugarry opened to the public in the ancient spaces of the Abbey Church of Rosazzo. Now in its twelfth year, the exhibition is part of the "Art to Believe" series held every two years at the Abbey of Rosazzo.

The exhibition by Pablo Atchugarry unfolds from the outside to the inside, along a layout that crosses the two side aisles of the Abbey Church, bringing together monumental sculptural works in statuary Carrara marble, olive wood, and bronze, as well as carborundum engravings produced by the Stamperia d’Arte Albicocco printing house.

These works express a concept of universal PEACE, which defines both his artistic vision and the uniqueness of his personal life. The display includes sixteen works: two interpretations of the “Dove of Peace” in statuary Carrara marble, five sculptures in enamelled bronze, five engravings, and four wooden sculptures in olive wood titled “Peace with Nature.” Pablo Atchugarry is one of the most compelling and dynamic figures in international sculpture, and his work embodies identity, aesthetic beauty, and timelessness. 

"Life is truly a great gift that belongs neither to us nor to others. Peace is the only possible path to save life, to live it fully and harmoniously. Peace is a deep feeling that must be with us in every moment of our life. War exists because there is no sense of individual peace and peace towards others. If this feeling is not experienced, it cannot be passed on.

The presence of peace has been with me for a very long time. It is not only a political and social peace, but a universal peace, a personal feeling connected to others and to nature. In my artistic journey, I have tackled the theme of peace several times. In 2003 I exhibited the sculptural group “Dreaming of Peace” made in Carrara marble and Bardiglio marble, at the fiftieth Venice Biennale of Art, with the desire to contribute to the reflection on the theme of peace.

In 2023 I sculpted two versions of the Dove of Peace, made in Carrara marble, followed by bronzes and engravings in continuity with the same theme. 

To complete the exhibition at the Abbey of Rosazzo, I created the work “Peace with Nature,” an installation of centuries-old olive trees that died due to human action, which invites us to reflect on the path we need to follow to embrace nature once more." Pablo Atchugarry, August 2024