Jiménez Deredia: sculpture as a philosophy of time: an encounter at The Project Space art gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Pietrasanta, by Annalisa Bugliani, which has become a key cultural reference point in this charming Tuscan town, hosting his exhibition “Encuentro. Materia y Luz” (Encounter. Matter and Light).
After a series of exhibitions in public spaces, museums, and cities such as Miami, Mexico City, Shanghai, Valencia, Houston, and Florence, the artist returns to exhibit in the city where—as he himself states—“art is produced and breathed every moment.”
Meeting Jiménez Deredia means discovering a language that arises from matter to speak of time, the cosmos, and belonging. The conversation with the Costa Rican master, at The Project Space art gallery, enriched by the dialogue and contributions of art critic and scholar Giacomo Castagnini, allowed us to weave together biography, philosophy, and recognition in a story of rare coherence.
The roots
Jorge Enrique Jiménez Martínez was born in Heredia in 1954. After studying in Costa Rica, he arrived in Italy in 1976 on a scholarship. In Carrara, he studied sculpture, while in Florence (1980–1986) he devoted himself to architecture. Here, the dialogue with the Renaissance shaped his thinking, opening up the relationship between the individual and the universe.
As Castagnini recalls, “the artist was able to transform his encounter with European tradition into a bridge to his own pre-Columbian roots.” Deredia himself confirms this:
“I realized that my work could not stop at form. It had to become a reflection on being and the universe. That’s where I rediscovered spheres: perfect symbols of continuity and transformation.”
And then there is the familiar image: “These are my twin grandchildren, biting into a slice of watermelon. When I saw them, I couldn’t help but reproduce it. Everything is circular here too. Like our lives.”
Transmutative Symbolism
In 1985, he created his first Génesis sculptures, representing the mutation of matter in space and time. This marked the birth of Transmutative Symbolism, his artistic ideology.
“The sphere is the generating principle,” explains the artist. “It is a symbol of transformation and energy that never stops. Each sculpture is a fragment of this eternal process.”
The stone spheres of Costa Rica, as critic Castagnini recalls, are a series of over three hundred petrospheres found in Costa Rica, in the Diquís delta area and on Isla del Caño. Locally, they are known as Las Bolas.
Biennials and Restany
His participation in the Venice Biennials (1988, 1993, 1999) marked decisive milestones. In 1999, he met Pierre Restany, who defined him as a “bridge between cultures” and accompanied him in a critical elaboration of his identity.
“With him,” says Deredia, “I was able to strengthen a vision that integrates pre-Columbian roots and modernity. He was a fundamental intellectual traveling companion.”
From the Vatican to the Roman Forum
In 1999, he received the Premio Beato Angelico award; in 2000, the Fabbrica di San Pietro entrusted him with the statue of Saint Marcellino Champagnat, inaugurated by John Paul II. He is the first non-European artist to enter the Vatican Basilica.
In 2006, he was appointed corresponding academician of the Academy of Arts and Design in Florence, founded by Cosimo I de’ Medici, which counts Michelangelo, Palladio, and Galileo among its members.
In 2009, the Roman Forum opened its doors to contemporary art for the first time, hosting his monumental sculptures along the Via Sacra.
“There is no divide between the sacred, history, and contemporary life,” emphasizes Deredia. “Sculpture is a universal language that transcends eras and cultures, a message of peace and hope.”
A universal legacy
Deredia’s outdoor exhibitions have touched the entire world: Florence, Rome, Valencia, Mexico City, Genoa, Miami, Courchevel, Benidorm. Monumental works in marble and bronze that unite matter and spirit, tradition and modernity.
As Castagnini, art scholar and connoisseur, observes: “Deredia’s sculptures are not just forms, but meditations on the very meaning of existence, capable of restoring a link between contemporary man and his origins and the future.”
The artist concludes simply:
“Every sphere I sculpt carries with it memory and future. It reminds us that we are part of a continuous transformation that never ends.”
Opening hours
The Project Space by Annalisa Bugliani
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi 46, Pietrasanta (LU).
Open during summer hours every day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Hours may vary, and visits are also allowed outside of opening hours upon request by calling +39 333 419 1734 or writing to: email: info@theprojectspace.it, website: www.theprojectspace.it
