The big pink statue has stood outside the Telegraph building for some time now (since August 2020). But do you know its name and why it has appeared here?
The sculpture was in the space outside the gallery as part of the Sculpture line, a sculpture festival held around the world. The public space presents the works of not only local but also foreign artists in the so-called "open air". By installing sculptures in public space, it seeks to develop the cultural potential of a given location and to communicate with art to passers-by, thus helping to socialise public space and shift the quality of urban living.
The festival was initiated in Prague in 2015 by the artists themselves, who felt the need to offer their works to the general public and not just present themselves in closed gallery spaces. Gradually, it has expanded to its current state, where it takes place in 40 cities in 15 countries. The festival thus helps to introduce Czech artists abroad and, in turn, foreign artists in our country.
In front of the Telegraph you will find the sculpture "The Glutton" by Slovak sculptor Andrej Margoč. The sculpture is made of epoxy and comes from the FAT series, which the author dedicated to the fight against the silent killer - sugar. It is a stylized tongue that depicts a great craving for sweet, which is also supported by the bold pink colour. With this cycle, the author himself is trying to put an end to sugar addiction and highlight a social problem of the last few decades.
Andrej Margoč (*1977) is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Bratislava, where he still lives and works. He has had a number of solo and collective exhibitions not only in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, but also abroad. Currently, he is one of the prominent figures of sculpture of his generation.
Text: Tereza Holoubková, Telegraph gallery
