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Petra

Vhils

Referring to one of the earliest Western denominations for stone, Petra pays homage to this ancient raw material. Through an intricate three-dimensional labyrinth, part of the artist’s Diorama body of work, four different types of Portuguese marble stone, Branco Vigária, Azul Lagoa, Ruivina Claro and Ruivina Escuro, have been used to bring to life an abstract figure. These four tonalities, ranging from the lightest to the darkest stones the mineral landscape has to offer, not only emphasise the layers and depth of the sculpture, but also accentuate the rich colours of the stones themselves.

This piece reflects the geological power that leads to the formation of stone, its strength, durability and resistance. Initially conceived in polystyrene, and then crafted using cork, wood and cement, Dioramas have been progressively metamorphosing from soft to hard, from artificial to natural, and this ideation in stone stands as their fossilisation: an ultimate quasi-indestructible form, that just like the material used for its creation, will last for millennia.