Pedro Rodriguez is a Mediterranean artist, not only because he was born in Málaga but also because it is his genetic inheritance. He feels a strong urge to show the joy of living and to glorify the abundance of nature, because all of this is part of the collective consciousness of those born under blue skies. So he is indulgent in the company of people, with whom he is attentive and cordial, maintaining naturalness and sincerity in both word and gesture. Besides, he had the good fortune to fall in love with an inestimable companion, Carmen, who understands and admires him, supports him, organizes and collaborates with him like a “cosmetae”. On top of this he is really lucky to have two daughters who are able to understand his art, who are dedicated to spreading the word about their father. In other words, Pedro is a man with “baraka”, as the Arabs say.
He even displays his feeling for the Mediterranean in the subjects he chooses to depict: bulls, horses and sirens, beings which since antiquity have been appreciated by the peoples of these lands and represented by their artists. In Ancient Egypt, bulls were venerated and carved (the ox Apis); in Crete they were used in festivals, or painted in murals; they were incorporated into mythology (Hercules captured the Andalusian bull) and were carved in the metopes of the Parthenon marbles. The horse has always been our inseparable companion both in work and war, and in artistic expression ever since man wanted to portray his thoughts on the walls of prehistoric caves. Veneration of the horse has meant that the excellence of breeds such as the Andalusian and the Arab have been achieved in these lands. Homer tells us about the mythological sirens of the Mediterranean who seduced experienced sailors with their enervating singing.
In the figures that he creates, Pedro manages to capture the totemic value and the awe that we feel for these animals, animals which we have raised up to the status of motifs. Like all art forms which achieve the mark of creation, he is able to generalize concepts and values that are universal with allegorical volumes.
Pedro brings to his sculptures a configuration of vigorous forms, reinforcing their volume so that the spirit that he wishes to convey is evident from the first glance. The spectator is left delighted to such a high degree in front of the sculptures, that it is almost impossible to ever not be impressed by them. From that moment on , whatever the occasion, the sculptures will be instantly recognized as Pedro’s, the highest achievement that an artist can aspire to.
If we contemplate his creations, we recognize how, with their artistic quality they represent the essence of the being, making them before our very eyes the bearer of characters detained across time and in the end – these forms captivate us.
To reach his goals, the artist models his plastic materials – clay, potter’s clay, bronze, iron and,more recently, marble – until he obtains a clear, rounded form, in which the mass is infused with delicate qualities giving to the figures a great expressiveness, achieved through the fullness of the forms. This modeling confers a powerful sensuality on both the movement of the figures and their static poses. The outlines and the volume of Pedro’s sculptures are strictly realistic and show a high degree of symbolic expression, both qualities modeled with a grand artistic virtuosity.
For all of this I am very happy to have another occasion on which to talk about the satisfaction that the contemplation and analysis of the work of the master, Pedro, gives me.