An art studio called Arte Villalba Esculturas in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is working on a project to create a sculpture of Lionel Messi , depicting the superstar in motion, running with a ball and wearing his national team's jersey, rather than just showing Messi alongside trophies.
The owner of the sculpture workshop, Miguel Jeronimo Villalba, explained that the reason he chose to depict Messi in a playing position was because he believed that image better conveyed the message he wanted to transmit through the artwork.
"Everyone can easily picture that scene, Messi with the ball glued to his feet. I don't want to just portray Messi with the World Cup title, even though he brought Argentina its third World Cup trophy. I want to preserve the image of Messi always giving his all for the blue and white jersey. That's the message I want to convey, that Messi's legacy is built on his dedicated efforts, that Messi will not disappoint the fans when he is on the field," Villalba shared.
The Arte Villalba Esculturas sculpture studio has spent the last 25 years creating numerous statues and large-scale works. In 2023, the studio collaborated with sculptor Daniel Mirtov to create a Messi sculpture as a gift to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).
"This isn't my first work about Messi. Three years ago, we created a piece for CONMEBOL, a statue of Messi lifting the championship trophy. It was a collaboration with a colleague, Daniel Mirtov. Messi was depicted with the trophy, and he was present at the unveiling and smiled when he saw my work. It was an unforgettable day for me," Villalba recalled.
Villalba's idea for a second sculpture is one of many activities across Argentina to pay tribute to Lionel Messi, following the striker's confirmation that he will be ending his journey with the national team.
Regarding possible locations for the statue, Villalba mentioned Rosario, Messi's hometown, and Buenos Aires, the country's capital, as potential destinations.
To realize the project, the design studio is seeking support from organizations and agencies interested in participating in its development process.
"I envision this artwork being placed in places where Messi has left a significant mark. Perhaps in Rosario, since that's where Messi was born; I'd like the artwork to be placed where Messi took his first steps. Or it could be in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, which represents the pride of the entire country," said Villalba.
Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/he-lo-ke-hoach-dung-tuong-dieu-khac-tri-an-lionel-messi-tai-que-nha-argentina-post1139814.vnp
