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EMBODYING THE FEMININE: THE CERAMIC SCULPTURE OF SABINE PAGLIARULO
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Clay is seductive, a keeper of human emotions, and a bearer of memories, reflecting the primary bond between human beings and Mother Earth. The work of contemporary French-Italian ceramicist Sabine Pagliarulo takes this conversation with the material a step deeper, while connecting us to our origins and ancient rites. It embraces forms that explore the notions of the feminine, intended as the protected inward space where creation is nurtured.
Shells, wombs, protecting uterus, Sabine’s intimate work embodies a fluid movement of lines, evident in all her creations. By moulding soft and maternal shapes in stoneware and porcelain, the artist alludes to a feeling of rebirth nourished by her art and personal experiences. These are organically rounded forms poised to open, smooth and uninterrupted vessels, resemblances of beehives distinguished by a repetition of concave and convex surfaces. Just as in nature, each one of Sabine’s sculptures germinates spontaneously, driven by an instinctive energy.
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"We are contained, containing casings, carved and conjoined lines of an ancestral poem which echoes the memory of all invisible things, the essence of the eye in the body [...]”
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Warm and cold, smooth and rough surfaces, Sabine’s creations position themselves in the haptic dimension. The maker and the clay converse not in words, but by touching, hearing, and seeing. More than a mental act, working with clay requires the state of full bodily involvement. As in a dance, the artist cultivates this symbiotic bond to find the balance between space, empty and full, within the sculptural objects; her gestures are delicate and continuous, performed in the contemplative isolation of the artist’s studio.
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The hand is indeed the mother of all tools, for its ability to touch, shape, and, above all, get to know. In his De Anima, the Greek philosopher Aristotle sees a positive and causal bridge between practical intelligence and tactility, which he considers the primary and most significant sense among the senses of living beings, especially of humans. The simple act of touching enables us to perceive the finer details and qualities of objects, while also acknowledging the physical and conscious presence of the person who touches.
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The artist's ultimate series Unattimosoltanto is a deeply personal dedication to her children. It originates from that universal, bittersweet wish to freeze time and hold them close for just one moment more, knowing they must grow, evolve, and depart. This emotional tension is realised through the contrast of the materials she uses. The unpolished, raw, and intensely textured surface embodies the earth, serving as a visceral symbol of the grounding bond that forever connects her to them.
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“My gesture and the clay engage in a symbiotic conversation: I let the material follow its natural evolution and movements, while I concentrate on the shape.”
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The recent creations entitled A' bout de souffle imply a certain level of technical unpredictability because of their peculiar shape. Conceptually, they express the desire to bring seashell forms to a sense of completion, much like working with delicate water drops. The creative process is a breath, a sigh that reaches to the very end, an impulse to experience every moment right until the final moment.
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Following her studies and a long-term career in law, Sabine Pagliarulo (born 1967) has devoted herself entirely to sculpture, pursuing her primary passion in the visual arts and the language of ceramics. Her sculptural works have been presented in art exhibitions and fairs across France, Finland, Switzerland, and Italy, including Material Home, Milan Design Week 2024, the Biennale di Ceramica d'Arte Contemporanea in Sutri, 2022 and 2020, Seed in Volterra, 2021, and Hortus. Le jardin envahit la table, Musée de Carouge in Genève, 2019. Her pieces are also integrated into prestigious hospitality and design venues, including Aman New York, Molteni New York flagship store, and Palazzo Molteni, in the heart of Milan.
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Sabine’s minimal sculpture to be discoverd in the vibrant NoMad District of New York
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Establishing an emotional connection with the refined space and designed objects of Molteni&C New York, Sabine presents a selection of exquisite sculptures from her most iconic series. Ranging from primordial cavities reminiscent of shells and forest fruits, these are essential, archetypal forms. While rooted in the sheltered sentiments of a domestic space, these shapes are potent, capable of releasing both energy and tension from the matter itself, even as they encapsulate the profound qualities of fragility and death. They represent the cyclic view of time, the beauty of our existence.
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C R E D I T S :
Photography of Sabine's artwork at Molteni&C New York: photography by Daniel Civetta
Quotes by Amalia di Lanno and Sabine Pagliarulo
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