June 9 - July 1, 2007
210 Loring St.,  1300 Pasay City, Philippines

About the Artists »
View Artist's Work »
Back to Artist's Listing »

The “unknown” and the “unexplainable” has always captivated me. I often ask myself: what is it that is eternal in or beyond human existence? How could I represent it? These are the thoughts that provoked me to create my sculptures.

It is through mythology: its goddesses and gods, or its heroes and victims, that I am able to materialize my ideas, explain and vivify my thoughts. In mythology the relationship between the sacred and the individual is very strong. The strength of this relationship goes beyond the individual’s capacity to rationalize and prove its existence. As Joseph Campbell has once said, “there lies so little difference between a mystic and a madman for both are on the same waters…the only difference is that the first knows how to swim and the latter does not.”  

In this exhibit: “Angels and Goddesses”, I will be presenting mostly painted or gilded wood sculptures, the “images of the sacred”.  I like wood as a medium since it elicits a feeling of life and releases its seeming warmth from within. For my bronze sculptures I make the models in wood so that the final texture of the piece resembles the wood model.

I have chosen angels because I am fascinated by the thought of these winged and mysterious creatures interceding between the divine and the individual, the spiritual and human worlds. They have existed long before the Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and Asian civilizations. They have already existed in the very ancient culture of Mesopotamia and were already flying over the fortified walls of Babylon. In the very early years of Christianity in Rome, the “angels” were represented without wings for they reminded the people of the winged goddess of victory! Massimo Cacciari in his book “L’Angelo Necessario” poetically stated that after many centuries when the gods and goddesses of ancient Rome were forgotten, the angel slowly grew its wings back….

The subjects of Goddesses have often been depicted in my sculptures. It signifies the spiritual aspect of a “god” being that of a life-giver, being the provider of nourishment.  It is my way of seeing the positive side of life.  Looking forward to the future, Hoping. Life goes on even if we are surrounded by wars and death. 

Italy-based Filipino artist Duddley Diaz studied Fine Arts at University of the Philippines Diliman for one year and continued his art studies in sculpture and painting in Academia di Belle Arti, Florence Italy. Duddley had numerous solo shows and group shows in the Philippines, U.S. and Italy from 1983 to present. His awards include, 2005 Grand Prize for Sculpture, Metrobank Foundation, Presidential award for outstanding Filipino Abroad in 2001, 1998 Freemen Fellow at Vermont Studio Center, Johnson Vermont U.S.A.  

Duddley’s works are displayed in places like San Tommaso a Lama Church, Perugia, Italy. He conducted lectures and workshops in different parts of Asia, Europe and the Americas.