artists
The Sculpture Speaks: An Interview with Alessandro Montalbano
In the work of Alessandro Montalbano, matter becomes emotion, and silence finds its form. His sculptures, defined by their elegant balance between strength and fragility, invite viewers into a dialogue that transcends words. Rooted in classical tradition yet deeply contemporary in spirit, Montalbano’s art reflects a profound exploration of human sensitivity, spirituality, and the timeless connection between nature and form.
In this interview, conducted by RARARES Gallery, the artist shares insights into his creative process, the philosophy that guides his work, and the subtle language through which sculpture — quite literally — speaks.
Let’s start at the beginning
RARARES Gallery: Your practice carries a strong sense of personal vision and connection to your surroundings. Could you share some of the early influences — artistic, cultural, or personal — that shaped your creative journey and guided your path toward sculpture?
Alessandro Montalbano:
My love for art, and more specifically, the need to express myself through art, began very early. I began drawing at the age of 5, and then at 14, I truly began painting landscapes and the human figure, encouraged by local artists and painters who gave me advice and, above all, with whom I talked about painting, art, artists, etc. In short, I already knew what I wanted to do at a very young age. Choosing to graduate from the Art High School in Brescia gave me a solid foundation in anatomical drawing, life drawing, working with terracotta by copying artists of the past, art history, etc.
But the training that most prepared me for who I am today was when I attended the Florence School of Fine Arts. Not only was it a personal enrichment for me on an artistic level, but the fact of meeting and talking with other artists opened my mind enormously and made me discover artists such as Picasso who will be for me one of the pillars of my conception of art. Not only by the richness and variety of his periods, but also by the way of approaching and tackling the creation of a work. Picasso is the artist who inspired me the most and even today in moments of doubt, it is to him that I think.
The fact of having lived in Florence before leaving for Paris, was an undeniable premonition. The sculpture which will take precedence over painting (even if I never abandoned it) was not a coincidence. The confrontation with the sculptures of the Italian Renaissance and more particularly of Michelangelo, was not in vain. Michelangelo inspired me a lot and his still present modernity is undeniable.
RARARES Gallery: Was there a moment when the material spoke first?
How did you come to choose bronze as your main material and visual language, and what keeps you returning to it in your practice?
Alessandro Montalbano:
As I implied in the first question, my training is as a painter. Sculpture came later, especially through the need to express myself in three dimensions. The need for material is already visible in my paintings from my final years at the Beaux-Arts. A very thick and rich paint, an influence of expressionist painting that can surely be explained by the fact that my painting teacher, Silvio Loffredo, was a student of Oskar Kokoschka. But arriving in Paris was decisive for my sculpture. This is where I began my first production as a sculptor. With limited financial resources, I combined plaster, metal and wood in the search for a material and a language of my own.
Moreover, it was precisely thanks to Femme allongée (Reclining woman) in plaster, metal, and wood that I received the Princess Grace Foundation Prize, invited by the sculptor César. Meeting César and the many conversations with him introduced me to bronze sculpture, and more specifically, welded bronze. It is this material that allowed me to accentuate this language which is specific to me, that is to say : a dialogue and a rhythm in the construction between the empty and full spaces, and a research on the material where lines and scratches coexist, revealed by the patina.
RARARES Gallery: Your early breakthrough — the Deauville horse, the Monaco commission — established you on an ambitious scale.
How did working on such monumental pieces early on influence your sense of form and scale?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The Princess Grace Foundation Prize gave wings to the young artist that I was. Winning this award and meeting César gave me the confidence to continue my journey. The City of Deauville (where one can admire the most beautiful specimens of horses, with its racecourse) asked me to exhibit a monumental horse at a prestigious fair on the theme of horses, "Horse Expo Lancel." The challenge for me was set. I created this welded bronze horse that I named Et le septième jour … (And the seventh day…) and the Principality of Monaco decided to acquire it and install it in the UNESCO Gardens, which is part of the open-air museum alongside artists such as César, Botero, Niki de Saint-Phalle, Arp, etc.
For an artist, being confronted on such a scale, at least for me, gave me the confidence to know how to "tackle" something bigger than myself. It may be a kind of megalomania on the part of an artist, but the form in space takes on even more meaning. Creating this relationship between the monumental work and the viewer offers new possibilities in the confrontation and contemplation of the piece. From a technical point of view, the large scale allows for new resolutions, beneficial intuitions in the realization of the work.
RARARES Gallery: The shift to welded bronze was a turning point.
What compelled you to move away from classical casting toward a rawer, more fractured expression? Was this a technical decision, or an emotional one?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The transition to welded bronze was, of course, primarily for technical reasons. The assemblages of plaster, metal, and wood allowed me to work with those famous full and empty spaces that are always present in my work. And indeed, working with cast bronze could no longer adapt to my formal requirements. And since the material is there to serve emotion, this more complex and sometimes chaotic work resonated with my inner feelings, a struggle with the material as with life…
However, I do not hesitate to establish a synthetic dialogue between the different phases and periods of my work, where I draw on my past experiences by focusing my attention on the vibrations of the material, its rhythm, and its strength. From this period onward, and in order not to restrict my horizons, I allow myself great creative freedom both in the choice of materials and technique, certainly inspired in this sense by Picasso.
RARARES Gallery: Themes like genesis, the feminine form, and the act of becoming repeat across your work.
Are these personal archetypes for you? Or do they reflect broader cultural or existential concerns?
Alessandro Montalbano:
As an Italian, I was strongly influenced by Greco-Roman art as well as Christian iconography. These themes could not have been foreign to me, and, like Michelangelo and many artists before me, I wanted to confront these subjects. I find in these eternal and mythical figures the very incarnation of earthly power; it is also an allusion to the fertility of the artistic spirit, its richness and its freedom.
The choice of women was also obvious, because women have been part of my life. They have been and still are a force and a source of inspiration. For me, the interest lies in expressing them in a personal way and in a language that is unique to me. And as an Italian, it is certain that women have always played an essential role, starting with my mother. But it remains clear that these themes also signify the source of life, birth, creation…
RARARES Gallery: In Amina Illuminati, you present works on a small scale, yet they carry a sense of monumental energy.
How do you see the dialogue between scale and emotion in your practice?
Alessandro Montalbano:
Whether the work is small or large, it is, above all, for me an inexhaustible transmitter of energy.
My entire effort as an artist consists of capturing this invisible flow, like a sound, which cannot be seen or heard, but is felt, like a vibration…
The whole difficulty lies in containing this flow through a set of rhythmic elements, and this transposition into matter must be contained without overflow or weakness; it must be embraced, even if disturbing: the sole goal must be the evocation of an infinite and perpetual vibratory rhythm (like Foucault's pendulum), and all this through form and color, whether abstract or figurative.
Even a small work, if it achieves the desired vibration, can release monumental energy.
RARARES Gallery: The exhibition reflects on themes of memory we carry through matter, identity, transformation, and ‘inner light’…
How does your work engage with these themes within this context?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The works presented in this exhibition evoke the colorful everyday ceramics that always accompanied me during my childhood in my native Sicily.
These works are inspired by memories of this island whose culture, art, architecture, language, and cuisine are a vast blend of all the peoples who have inhabited it: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Spanish… Just like me, these works are the fruit of this mixture of cultures, this melting pot.
Some pieces presented in the Amina Illuminati exhibition also evoke plant forms, blooming flowers, but also shells, or the sun… I think that my move to the countryside after 26 years in Paris had an influence on this latest work, and through metalwork, I somehow give immortality to these ephemeral flowers, I imprint this memory in matter.
RARARES Gallery: Let’s talk about the way how you relate to your cultural legacy as an artist.
As an Italian sculptor, you inevitably carry the weight of a rich tradition, from Michelangelo to Marino Marini and Manzù. How do you see your own practice within this broader art historical context?
Alessandro Montalbano:
I consider myself very lucky to have been born in such a culturally rich country. I believe that every artist is the "son" or "daughter" of other artists. Art and artists nourish each other over the centuries. Yet, each artist, through their sensitivity, needs, and artistic tastes, chooses their "fathers" or "mothers." As far as I'm concerned, Michelangelo inspired me a lot with the strength felt in his works, which brings me back to my previous comments on the vital energy and vibration that a work must emanate.
Manzù, but especially Marino Marini, inspired me enormously when he approached his horses in a very dreamlike way, because the horse is not only the character's companion but also his miracle... and that brings me back to the representation of my horses, which goes beyond the simple animal. For me, the horse represents the Human and his vital need to face life's adversity.
RARARES Gallery: You’ve created works that exist both as public art and as pieces for private collections.
How do you approach the idea of permanence in these two contexts? Do you think differently when a work is destined for a public space rather than a private interior?
Alessandro Montalbano:
Sculpture is an art that expresses and reveals itself in space. The space that hosts the work acts as a revealer. Since my beginnings at the Fine Arts School of Florence, immersed in centuries of history where artists have left a visible and lasting mark on the city, my vision of the work of art cannot be considered independent of how it will impact the viewer and upon whom it will, in a way, "impose" its presence.
For me, a work is created in the same way whether for a private or a public collection, that is, consistent with my artistic approach and my language. Certain commissions or calls for projects have sometimes led me to confront subjects I had not previously addressed, but if they resonate with me and inspire me, it is always a great challenge to tackle them. The only difference could possibly be from a technical point of view: depending on whether the work is indoors or outdoors, climatic constraints, etc. At that point, I can decide to turn to such and such techniques or materials.
RARARES Gallery: Sculpture is a slow art. In a digital, hyper-accelerated age, it almost resists the contemporary.
What is the role of sculpture today on your mind, and how do you see it evolving?
Alessandro Montalbano:
I have a fairly traditional vision of sculpture, and I believe it will continue its path—just like painting, drawing, or photography—alongside the development and acceleration of digital technology. Artificial intelligence and digital technology are formidable tools that can help disseminate and communicate art, but personally, I can't imagine using AI in my creative work.
However, I'm not particularly worried about the evolution of sculpture because, on the contrary, we're currently witnessing a return to ancestral materials and techniques that connect us to our roots and bring us back to a form of authenticity and truth that digital technology or 3D printing cannot capture. Collectors' enthusiasm for ceramics, which are becoming works of art, is a good example of this.
RARARES Gallery: You’ve worked with the same material for decades — and yet your voice continues to evolve.
What keeps you returning to the same medium? And what questions remain unresolved for you?
Alessandro Montalbano:
While remaining faithful to the language and techniques I've established over the decades, my deep personality and creative appetite continually push me to explore new possibilities and new horizons.
And the question that would remain unanswered would be why, even though they are created by the same artist and in more or less the same way, some works contain a greater element of magic than others…
RARARES Gallery: And finally, what does silence mean in your work?
Your sculptures often feel like they hold something unspoken. Is that intentional?
Alessandro Montalbano:
This silence is linked to the artist's modesty and bashfulness. For me, the artist lays himself bare through the act of creation. I like it when we feel more than we explain.
Thank you,
Alessandro
My love for art, and more specifically, the need to express myself through art, began very early. I began drawing at the age of 5, and then at 14, I truly began painting landscapes and the human figure, encouraged by local artists and painters who gave me advice and, above all, with whom I talked about painting, art, artists, etc. In short, I already knew what I wanted to do at a very young age. Choosing to graduate from the Art High School in Brescia gave me a solid foundation in anatomical drawing, life drawing, working with terracotta by copying artists of the past, art history, etc.
But the training that most prepared me for who I am today was when I attended the Florence School of Fine Arts. Not only was it a personal enrichment for me on an artistic level, but the fact of meeting and talking with other artists opened my mind enormously and made me discover artists such as Picasso who will be for me one of the pillars of my conception of art. Not only by the richness and variety of his periods, but also by the way of approaching and tackling the creation of a work. Picasso is the artist who inspired me the most and even today in moments of doubt, it is to him that I think.
The fact of having lived in Florence before leaving for Paris, was an undeniable premonition. The sculpture which will take precedence over painting (even if I never abandoned it) was not a coincidence. The confrontation with the sculptures of the Italian Renaissance and more particularly of Michelangelo, was not in vain. Michelangelo inspired me a lot and his still present modernity is undeniable.
RARARES Gallery: Was there a moment when the material spoke first?
How did you come to choose bronze as your main material and visual language, and what keeps you returning to it in your practice?
Alessandro Montalbano:
As I implied in the first question, my training is as a painter. Sculpture came later, especially through the need to express myself in three dimensions. The need for material is already visible in my paintings from my final years at the Beaux-Arts. A very thick and rich paint, an influence of expressionist painting that can surely be explained by the fact that my painting teacher, Silvio Loffredo, was a student of Oskar Kokoschka. But arriving in Paris was decisive for my sculpture. This is where I began my first production as a sculptor. With limited financial resources, I combined plaster, metal and wood in the search for a material and a language of my own.
Moreover, it was precisely thanks to Femme allongée (Reclining woman) in plaster, metal, and wood that I received the Princess Grace Foundation Prize, invited by the sculptor César. Meeting César and the many conversations with him introduced me to bronze sculpture, and more specifically, welded bronze. It is this material that allowed me to accentuate this language which is specific to me, that is to say : a dialogue and a rhythm in the construction between the empty and full spaces, and a research on the material where lines and scratches coexist, revealed by the patina.
RARARES Gallery: Your early breakthrough — the Deauville horse, the Monaco commission — established you on an ambitious scale.
How did working on such monumental pieces early on influence your sense of form and scale?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The Princess Grace Foundation Prize gave wings to the young artist that I was. Winning this award and meeting César gave me the confidence to continue my journey. The City of Deauville (where one can admire the most beautiful specimens of horses, with its racecourse) asked me to exhibit a monumental horse at a prestigious fair on the theme of horses, "Horse Expo Lancel." The challenge for me was set. I created this welded bronze horse that I named Et le septième jour … (And the seventh day…) and the Principality of Monaco decided to acquire it and install it in the UNESCO Gardens, which is part of the open-air museum alongside artists such as César, Botero, Niki de Saint-Phalle, Arp, etc.
For an artist, being confronted on such a scale, at least for me, gave me the confidence to know how to "tackle" something bigger than myself. It may be a kind of megalomania on the part of an artist, but the form in space takes on even more meaning. Creating this relationship between the monumental work and the viewer offers new possibilities in the confrontation and contemplation of the piece. From a technical point of view, the large scale allows for new resolutions, beneficial intuitions in the realization of the work.
RARARES Gallery: The shift to welded bronze was a turning point.
What compelled you to move away from classical casting toward a rawer, more fractured expression? Was this a technical decision, or an emotional one?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The transition to welded bronze was, of course, primarily for technical reasons. The assemblages of plaster, metal, and wood allowed me to work with those famous full and empty spaces that are always present in my work. And indeed, working with cast bronze could no longer adapt to my formal requirements. And since the material is there to serve emotion, this more complex and sometimes chaotic work resonated with my inner feelings, a struggle with the material as with life…
However, I do not hesitate to establish a synthetic dialogue between the different phases and periods of my work, where I draw on my past experiences by focusing my attention on the vibrations of the material, its rhythm, and its strength. From this period onward, and in order not to restrict my horizons, I allow myself great creative freedom both in the choice of materials and technique, certainly inspired in this sense by Picasso.
RARARES Gallery: Themes like genesis, the feminine form, and the act of becoming repeat across your work.
Are these personal archetypes for you? Or do they reflect broader cultural or existential concerns?
Alessandro Montalbano:
As an Italian, I was strongly influenced by Greco-Roman art as well as Christian iconography. These themes could not have been foreign to me, and, like Michelangelo and many artists before me, I wanted to confront these subjects. I find in these eternal and mythical figures the very incarnation of earthly power; it is also an allusion to the fertility of the artistic spirit, its richness and its freedom.
The choice of women was also obvious, because women have been part of my life. They have been and still are a force and a source of inspiration. For me, the interest lies in expressing them in a personal way and in a language that is unique to me. And as an Italian, it is certain that women have always played an essential role, starting with my mother. But it remains clear that these themes also signify the source of life, birth, creation…
RARARES Gallery: In Amina Illuminati, you present works on a small scale, yet they carry a sense of monumental energy.
How do you see the dialogue between scale and emotion in your practice?
Alessandro Montalbano:
Whether the work is small or large, it is, above all, for me an inexhaustible transmitter of energy.
My entire effort as an artist consists of capturing this invisible flow, like a sound, which cannot be seen or heard, but is felt, like a vibration…
The whole difficulty lies in containing this flow through a set of rhythmic elements, and this transposition into matter must be contained without overflow or weakness; it must be embraced, even if disturbing: the sole goal must be the evocation of an infinite and perpetual vibratory rhythm (like Foucault's pendulum), and all this through form and color, whether abstract or figurative.
Even a small work, if it achieves the desired vibration, can release monumental energy.
RARARES Gallery: The exhibition reflects on themes of memory we carry through matter, identity, transformation, and ‘inner light’…
How does your work engage with these themes within this context?
Alessandro Montalbano:
The works presented in this exhibition evoke the colorful everyday ceramics that always accompanied me during my childhood in my native Sicily.
These works are inspired by memories of this island whose culture, art, architecture, language, and cuisine are a vast blend of all the peoples who have inhabited it: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Spanish… Just like me, these works are the fruit of this mixture of cultures, this melting pot.
Some pieces presented in the Amina Illuminati exhibition also evoke plant forms, blooming flowers, but also shells, or the sun… I think that my move to the countryside after 26 years in Paris had an influence on this latest work, and through metalwork, I somehow give immortality to these ephemeral flowers, I imprint this memory in matter.
RARARES Gallery: Let’s talk about the way how you relate to your cultural legacy as an artist.
As an Italian sculptor, you inevitably carry the weight of a rich tradition, from Michelangelo to Marino Marini and Manzù. How do you see your own practice within this broader art historical context?
Alessandro Montalbano:
I consider myself very lucky to have been born in such a culturally rich country. I believe that every artist is the "son" or "daughter" of other artists. Art and artists nourish each other over the centuries. Yet, each artist, through their sensitivity, needs, and artistic tastes, chooses their "fathers" or "mothers." As far as I'm concerned, Michelangelo inspired me a lot with the strength felt in his works, which brings me back to my previous comments on the vital energy and vibration that a work must emanate.
Manzù, but especially Marino Marini, inspired me enormously when he approached his horses in a very dreamlike way, because the horse is not only the character's companion but also his miracle... and that brings me back to the representation of my horses, which goes beyond the simple animal. For me, the horse represents the Human and his vital need to face life's adversity.
RARARES Gallery: You’ve created works that exist both as public art and as pieces for private collections.
How do you approach the idea of permanence in these two contexts? Do you think differently when a work is destined for a public space rather than a private interior?
Alessandro Montalbano:
Sculpture is an art that expresses and reveals itself in space. The space that hosts the work acts as a revealer. Since my beginnings at the Fine Arts School of Florence, immersed in centuries of history where artists have left a visible and lasting mark on the city, my vision of the work of art cannot be considered independent of how it will impact the viewer and upon whom it will, in a way, "impose" its presence.
For me, a work is created in the same way whether for a private or a public collection, that is, consistent with my artistic approach and my language. Certain commissions or calls for projects have sometimes led me to confront subjects I had not previously addressed, but if they resonate with me and inspire me, it is always a great challenge to tackle them. The only difference could possibly be from a technical point of view: depending on whether the work is indoors or outdoors, climatic constraints, etc. At that point, I can decide to turn to such and such techniques or materials.
RARARES Gallery: Sculpture is a slow art. In a digital, hyper-accelerated age, it almost resists the contemporary.
What is the role of sculpture today on your mind, and how do you see it evolving?
Alessandro Montalbano:
I have a fairly traditional vision of sculpture, and I believe it will continue its path—just like painting, drawing, or photography—alongside the development and acceleration of digital technology. Artificial intelligence and digital technology are formidable tools that can help disseminate and communicate art, but personally, I can't imagine using AI in my creative work.
However, I'm not particularly worried about the evolution of sculpture because, on the contrary, we're currently witnessing a return to ancestral materials and techniques that connect us to our roots and bring us back to a form of authenticity and truth that digital technology or 3D printing cannot capture. Collectors' enthusiasm for ceramics, which are becoming works of art, is a good example of this.
RARARES Gallery: You’ve worked with the same material for decades — and yet your voice continues to evolve.
What keeps you returning to the same medium? And what questions remain unresolved for you?
Alessandro Montalbano:
While remaining faithful to the language and techniques I've established over the decades, my deep personality and creative appetite continually push me to explore new possibilities and new horizons.
And the question that would remain unanswered would be why, even though they are created by the same artist and in more or less the same way, some works contain a greater element of magic than others…
RARARES Gallery: And finally, what does silence mean in your work?
Your sculptures often feel like they hold something unspoken. Is that intentional?
Alessandro Montalbano:
This silence is linked to the artist's modesty and bashfulness. For me, the artist lays himself bare through the act of creation. I like it when we feel more than we explain.
Thank you,
Alessandro