Mexico City, Mexico /
Luis Ángel Agundez Cázaresa young 25-year-old sculptor originally from Mexico Citycaptured the public’s attention with his latest creation, titled The Pillar of Youtha sculpture that celebrates the accessibility and cultural impact of a food that, according to its author, is commonly criticized: the Maruchan.
In interview for MILLENNIUMAgundez Cázares shared his motivations, creative processes and the meaning behind his work.
From an early age, Luis Angel showed artistic skills with plasticine, an accessible material that allowed him explore your creativity since the age of five.
“(I started) dsince he was little, I remember I was five years old and I played with plasticine, my mother bought it for me and I made animals. I didn’t have that many toys and with plasticine and my imagination made figuanimals,” he commented.
Throughout his childhood and adolescence, alternate between sculpture and his passion for aerial dance and classical ballet, returning to and leaving sculpture in several stages of his life.
However, it was only a year ago that decided to rededicate himself completely to this art form.
“dI did sculpture from 14 to 22 years oldI got into dancing, aerial dance and classical ballet. Aerial dance like at 15 and ballet like 18, but it was because pure hobby“.
The making of ‘The Pillar of Youth’
The creation of The Pillar of Youth It was not a simple process..
Luis Ángel confesses that the sculpture was originally inspired by aerial dancea discipline that he practiced during his adolescence.
However, upon seeing a Maruchan commercial, decided to participate in the contest with a focus completely different.
“I saw the sculpture and thought they wanted something original. This is my idea, and what I added or complemented was part of the process“Agundez commented.
Choosing to use soup packets Maruchan as the central material of his work was not a coincidence. Preparation of the sculpture it took about two monthsdue to the minute details in the use of the soup.
“I used the ramen packetsabout 13 or 14, and three glasses of soup. It was complicated,” Luis Ángel explained.
To solve this problem, he had to experiment with different techniques until you find the right balance.
“I finished drying the soup and applying polish to make it stay firm, then I glued it with a special adhesive because it didn’t work with silicone, it would come off or the soup would dissolve due to the heat,” the sculptor explained.
The work was particularly laborious due to the fragility of the material, which needed specific care to not disintegrate.
“The first time I hit her, I completely hydrated the soupI already glued it four days it turned to dust“he added, laughing.
What is its meaning?
For Agundez Cázares, Maruchan represents more than just an economical food; symbolizes a pillar of support for many young people in Mexico.
“The Maruchan is criticized by the peoplebut in the end it is a food accessible to everyone. I ate it since high school, I bought one for 20 pesos and with that you had enough for the whole day. I wanted to give that messagewhich is an important pillar in the nutrition of many students because it is accessible, gives us energy and nourishes us“.
Through his sculpture, he tries convey a message from accessibility and usefulnessunderscoring how a seemingly simple product can be fundamental in people’s daily lives, especially in youth.
“I trained a lot, and what I ate the most was Maruchan and that brings back memories. The truth tasted like glory to me“.
A viral sculpture
The recognition it has not been long in coming. Luis Ángel’s sculpture not only gained attention in the national competition, but also captured the public’s interest on social networks, becoming viral for its peculiar and attractive appearance, as well as the technical skill used in its realization.
The sculpture received great media attentionsomething that surprised Luis Ángel himself. Although he did not want his work to go viral, the impact It’s been bigger than I expected..
“I’m impressed that so many people are sharing itthat more people liked me, that it has caused so much good impact. Of course there have been some bad comments, but they have been countedthere have been more people who have shared positively“, said.
The recognition not limited to popularity on social networks. ‘The Pillar of Youth’ could be, if it wins the competition, one of the 15 works selected for exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City, an achievement that Luis Ángel values as much as the cash prize.
“That the works are exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art is double prize for me. The fact that my work can be in a museum is something that I never imagined“he stated.
A platform for emerging art
The 11th edition of Maruchan Sopart is consolidated as a space for artistic development in Mexico, allowing young creators explore your talent and creativity using an unconventional resource: Maruchan packaging.
This contest, what year after year challenges the limits of disciplines such as sculpture, collage, painting and digital illustration, has promoted emerging talent in the country for years.
In this edition, the competition It had more than 50 participants in the Sculpture and Collage category, in which Luis Ángel Agundez Cázares presented his work The Pillar of Youth.
This discipline, that encourages the use of materials related to Maruchan products, such as their packaging, seeks to inspire the creation of works that mix contemporary art with elements of everyday life.
The 15 artists The most outstanding performers in this category will receive prizes ranging from five thousand and 50 thousand Mexican pesosin addition to the opportunity to exhibit his works at the Popular Art Museum of the Mexico City.
M.O.
