Raúl Cuello

RAÚL CUELLO (Illapel, Chile, 1950)
"ELELLA."
In bronze.
Signed.
Measurements: 25 x 22 x 19 cm.

A work of marked symbolic intensity in which two human figures merge into a single vertical volume, stripped of anecdotal features and reduced to a formal synthesis characteristic of Irarrázabal’s artistic language. The presence of the chair—an everyday object laden with meaning—introduces a subtle narrative dimension, associated with waiting, absence, or memory.

The expressionist treatment of the modeling, together with the patina of dark and greenish tones, reinforces the sense of introspection and silence. As is typical in the Chilean sculptor’s work, the human figure becomes a vehicle for reflection on the existential condition, the relationship between the individual and emotional bonds, and the fragility of presence.

Raúl Cuello, a Chilean sculptor trained in Paris under Maxime Rips, whose work has been exhibited in galleries and cultural centers in Chile, Argentina, and France, including shows at venues such as the National Museum of Fine Arts in Santiago and various regional exhibitions. Throughout his career, he has received awards at national sculpture salons and public art competitions in Chile—recognition that highlights his work with materials such as wood, stone, and wrought metal, created in his iconic studio in the Cajón del Maipo.