Chilean sculptor
Federico Assler is a Chilean sculptor known for his public monuments. He received Chile's National Prize for Plastic Arts in 2009.
Biography.
In 1954, he enrolled in the School of Architecture at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, where he stayed for two years; later, he would join the School of Fine Arts in Viña del Mar. His initial works were connected to painting, but his interest in representing volume led him towards sculpture. Alongside Raúl Valdivieso, Sergio Mallol, Sergio Castillo Mandiola, and others, he became part of the so-called Generation of Fifty, a group of sculptors known for their experimentation with new techniques and materials. He also was a member of the "Rectángulo Group".
Between 1964 and 1968, he served as the Executive Secretary of the Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of Chile, later assuming the role of Director.
In 1973, he traveled to Spain, where he resided for ten years. During this time, he began creating sculptures in public spaces, with works placed in Tenerife. After returning to Chile, he became a member of the Organization of Sculptors in 1989. The group would later transform into the Society of Sculptors of Chile in 1995, with Assler being appointed as its director.
On August 24, 2009, Assler was awarded the National Prize for Visual Arts in Chile. Moreover, he has also been honored with the Altazor Prize for National Arts three times: in 2004, 2005, and 2010.
Artwork.
In his early pieces, Assler created cut-out templates on particleboard, which, when repeated with gradual enlargements and glued together, formed volumes with a stepped texture and various shapes. However, his desire for sculptures to relate to humans and nature in outdoor settings led him to use concrete in his works. This material, known for its greater durability, predominates in his artistic career. To achieve this, he creates molds from expanded polystyrene, commonly referred to as "plumavit" or "aislapol" in Chile, into which he later pours the concrete mixture.
His work is primarily inspired by the human figure and the column as a symbol of human presence. Often appearing totemic, they frequently emerge from the ground, without a pedestal, as a manifestation of the earth.
Assler has described himself as a builder rather than a sculptor.
References.
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