Metallic Paint on Cardboard, Resin and Metal
25 x 14 in
64 x 36 cm
US $ 9,900
In Assyrian King, Canevari’s exploration of industrial materials takes on a surrealist quality, blending historical reference with modern abstraction. The twisting, open metal forms, painted in a metallic green, evoke a stylized face with exaggerated, elongated features. The swirling lines at the top of the sculpture seem to suggest a crown or headdress, adding a regal air to the figure. However, the surreal, fragmented structure of the head distances it from literal representation, inviting the viewer to see the Assyrian king not as a specific individual, but as a symbol of power, mystery, and transformation. The transparency and fluidity of the form hint at a surrealist interpretation of history, blending reality and imagination.
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In Assyrian King, Canevari’s exploration of industrial materials takes on a surrealist quality, blending historical reference with modern abstraction. The twisting, open metal forms, painted in a metallic green, evoke a stylized face with exaggerated, elongated features. The swirling lines at the top of the sculpture seem to suggest a crown or headdress, adding a regal air to the figure. However, the surreal, fragmented structure of the head distances it from literal representation, inviting the viewer to see the Assyrian king not as a specific individual, but as a symbol of power, mystery, and transformation. The transparency and fluidity of the form hint at a surrealist interpretation of history, blending reality and imagination.
This surrealist approach recalls the work of artists like Alberto Giacometti, whose elongated and abstract figures similarly explore the tension between physical form and psychological depth. However, Canevari’s use of industrial materials and metallic paint gives his work a modern, almost futuristic quality, setting it apart from Giacometti’s more textured and rough surfaces. The sculpture’s balance between solid and open space also echoes the surrealist exploration of dreams and the subconscious, where forms can shift and dissolve. In Assyrian King, Canevari merges the past with surreal abstraction, creating a figure that feels both ancient and contemporary, real and imagined.