Arcangel
A performative and sculptural installation that transforms the human body into a monumental presence, reflecting on the universal need to believe. Inspired by the figure of the Archangel Michael, the work explores faith, protection, and the search for that which, beyond ourselves, gives meaning to our existence.
Details
Archangel transforms the human body into a monumental presence suspended between the earthly and the spiritual. A large sculptural costume, handcrafted from leather, gold leaf, metal, and acrylic, expands the scale of the body until it becomes a figure that seems to belong equally to the human and the symbolic realms.
Its wings, spanning more than four metres, open and close through a mechanism integrated into the structure, creating a slow, solemn movement that continually transforms the perception of the surrounding space. Rather than portraying a character, the body becomes a living architecture that inhabits the site as a silent presence.
Inspired by the figure of the Archangel Michael, the work does not seek to literally represent a religious being. Instead, it uses this timeless image as a reflection of a deeply human condition: our need to believe, to protect, to seek goodness, and to acknowledge the possibility of a force that transcends us while also residing within us.
| Year | 2016 – ongoing |
|---|---|
| Format | Performative and sculptural installation |
| Media | Handcrafted sculptural costume in leather, gold leaf, metal, and acrylic; performance, light, and movement |
| Dimensions | Monumental costume with articulated wings spanning approximately four metres. |
| Duration | Variable depending on the exhibition or performance format | Location | Adaptable to museums, galleries, festivals, and public spaces |
| Availability | Available for exhibitions, festivals, and commissioned projects, subject to technical evaluation |
| Credits |
Concept & Artistic Direction:
Marjorie Chau
Technical production:
Pablo Alarcón and Sebastian Summer
|
Chronology
2016 — Engel & Angeli, Sparkasse Südtirol / Cassa di Risparmio, Bolzano, Italy
Presented as part of the exhibition Engel & Angeli, dedicated to historical and contemporary interpretations of the angelic figure, where the work entered into dialogue with diverse representations of protection, spirituality, and faith.
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The Human Need to Believe
Across cultures and throughout history, angels have occupied the human imagination as symbols of protection, hope, and spiritual guidance. Archangel takes the figure of the Archangel Michael as its point of departure, traditionally depicted holding the scales on which human actions are weighed, to reflect on a question that remains as relevant today as ever: What do we understand as good and evil, and who defines those boundaries?
The Body as a Spiritual Presence
Here, the body ceases to function merely as a physical support and becomes both a sculptural and spiritual presence. The monumental costume transforms the human figure into a living architecture whose scale reshapes both the surrounding space and the viewer's perception.
The costume's surface was created through the meticulous hand application of gold leaf, a technique that has been used for centuries in religious iconography, sculpture, and sacred objects to transform matter into a surface capable of reflecting light. Rather than serving as a decorative finish, the gold turns the body into a source of luminosity that oscillates between the material and the intangible.
The articulated wings further expand this monumental presence, giving the impression that the body is suspended between earth and sky. Rather than depicting a divine being, the work opens a space for contemplation, inviting viewers to ask whether what we call the sacred might also reside within ourselves.