Costa Rican; b. 1954
Encanto; n.d.
Material: Bronze
Measurements: 19” x 25” x 17”
Location: Robert L. Bogomolny Library
Main Floor
A stylized figure of a woman at rest peers curiously out to the viewer, placing her hand on one knee; with the other hand she holds a ball at her feet. The figure’s ample yet graceful curves echo those found in Italian Renaissance art, one of Deredia’s key influences. The sphere is directly inspired by the monumental granite orbs carved by the Boruca, a pre-Columbian people who lived in Costa Rica. In addition to Renaissance art, the Borucan spheres (known as las bolas) heavily influenced Deredia’s practice, especially his ideology of Transmutive Symbolism, or the transformation of matter through space and time.
This sculpture is part of an eight-piece edition created in 2017. A larger marble version is on tour throughout Europe with five other works.
Renacer, 1998.
Material: Bronze
Measurements: 26” x 57” x 26”
Location: Liberal Arts & Policy Building
Lobby, Spiral Staircase
A stylized figure of a woman crouches over a ball, arms placed over her head, toes pointed. Along with her protective pose, her cautious gaze at the viewer suggests the universal theme of a mother shielding her offspring from potential danger. The sphere is directly inspired by the monumental granite orbs carved by the Boruca, a pre-Columbian people who lived in Costa Rica. In addition to Italian Renaissance art, the Borucan spheres (known as las bolas) heavily influenced Deredia’s practice, especially his ideology of transmutive symbolism, or the transformation of matter through space and time. The sculpture’s title, which means “to be reborn” in English, represents Deredia’s fascination with the circle of life and the concept of continuous rebirth.