GABRIEL A. PELLEGRINI: MARIO AGIUS (b.1956) - "ROOTS" exhibition 28.03.2012

"Wakening from the dreaming forest there, the hazel-spring sang under my tongue, its drifting fragrance climbed up through my conscious mind as if suddenly the roots I had left behind cried out to me, the land I had lost with my childhood - and I stopped wounded by the wandering scent." Pablo Neruda

MARIO AGIUS (b.1956) has manifested a fond inclination to sculpture and design from his early years. He began his artistic studies under the late Mons, Michelangelo Apap (1915-2006) and furthered his studies in wood sculpture under the famous Maltese artist the late Anton Agius (1933-2008). Juginder Lamba, a sculptor of international repute described Mario's works as if they "oozed with humanity and the human condition in a truly universal sense"

The artist has a number of sculptures in private collections both locally and abroad including in London and Switzerland. His finest wood sculptures adorn churches all around the Maltese islands. In 1989 he followed a course of studies in sculpture in the UK at the "White Knight Gallery" under the tuition of international artist Ian Norbury. Presently Agius teaches technology and design in wood at "Gozo College Boys Secondary School", Victoria - Gozo. He also attends design classes under Harry Alden. Mario has been actively taking part in various collective exhibitions including those organised by the Members of the British Woodcarvers Association. In the July 2009, Mario exhibited his sculptures at the "Marzi Art International Galerie" in Hamburg - Germany.

In 2010, "Ballerina" a sculpture in olive wood, was awarded the silver medal in the 10th Salon International Exhibition by Groupemant Artistique Nantes, Facade Atlantique (GANFA) in Nantes - France. In 2011, another two sculptures, "Kommunita" and "Il-Hajja", were shortlisted by the "Arti fit-Toroq Competion" organised by the Ministry for Gozo. Subsequently Mario was commissoned to sculpt a life size monument in wood of "Kommunita" .

ROOTS is an exhibition of quality rather than quantity, in which the artist is showing sixteen of his latest works, in stone, wood and marble. The title of the exhibition is synonymous with Mario who believes that natural materials do not die but remain abandoned until their time to reborn arrives. Mario looks deeply in the subject matter and explores every detail until he discovers what the particular material is withholding from the naked eyes, and with great love, effort and determination he sculpts his way through until he composes a work of art of infinite beauty.

Agius has since his first personal exhibition entitled "Nature Exalted", changed his style. Instead of highly finishing the sculptures, like in the case of "Approaching" and "Nativitas", he is now rendering his work more natural by leaving the strokes of the chisel visible. The same can be said for the stone work where his idea is that there should not be any distinction in the state of the stone before and after his intervention. This new approach has also been noted by my friend Prof. Joseph Paul Cassar who stated as follows: "The carving of the Christ you sent me by Mario shows technical competence and promising ideas. I encourage him to keep working since there is a high probability that a genuine original stylistic trend will develop"

A very modern approach is easily visible in the exhibit "Venere di Ogigia", which is a very provocative in its natural beauty. The same can be said for the work entitled "Birth of Love" where Agius once again followed the shape and structure of the wood, enhancing the figure and adding the living presence in a red ball. An impressive work of art that can be described as a musical interlude between nature and the artist.

To date Mario Agius has held four personal exhibitions, one jointly with Italian artist Gino Marsilli at the St. James Cavalier Centre for Creativity - Valletta; he also participated in nineteen collective exhibitions. His work has been also featured in the "Marziart Artists Calendar - 2012", apart from local magazines "let's Gozo" and on local TV Stations.

Mario is married to Maria nee' Sultana and has three children; Victor, Graziella and Charlene. He recently became grandfather to Nina and Isaac.

Gabriel A. Pellegrini