Nathanael by Polles

The 9 ft. tall marble sculpture, Nathanael, was hand crafted by Pollès, a world renowned sculptor, and completed in 1997. It sat in his garden in his home & atalier in Pietrasanta , Italy . When Mr. Weiss encountered this sublime piece of art while visiting Pollès, he was determined to have it as the “focal point” of Sugar Hill Art Center. An agreement was made and Pollès gave up the sculpture he was most fond of and one of his few males and one of the few marble pieces he has done.

Nathanael was boxed and sent in the belly of a jet to America . After passing customs, he didn't seem dangerous at all, Nathanael was delivered to the Bronx to wait for his trip to Manhattan . The world changed after Nathanael's arrival. 9/11 left doubts as to the Grand Opening in October and the future of the Art Center . Plans proceeded, however, and Nathanael was delivered and installed in Gallery Donald Weiss in early October.

Pollès is not that well know yet in the U.S., but has a reputation that is unique. He is was recently honored in an exhibition outside Paris, sponsored by the French Government, called “Sculptors From Rodin to The Present”. Pollès was one of the few living sculptors to be so honored, the others including Abakanowicz, Arman, Saint-Phalle & Wesselmann. Maurice Rheims, a respected Art Critic, and a member of The French Academy, has written: “I consider Pollès to be one of the outstanding sculptors of our time.” Although know for his erotic cubist female forms, always caste in bronze, the creation of this marble edifice is a story of Historic Art in the making.

Compelled to create the naked male form, inspired, and to be compared to Michelangelo's David, Pollès obtained the marble from the Michelangelo Quarry in Carerra, Italy in 1993. This is the same quarry where Michelangelo got his marble and the quarry where Michelangelo's name has been inscribed by the artist into the stone. A massive block of marble was obtained with the “concrete” idea of the form he was about to create - A cubist style with Pollès' unique signature. The powerful torso and buttocks with stong cubistic planes, the “pointed” phallus - our faceless selves with just the physical body and the arrogance of the physique to show the world. Nathanael speaks to the strength and determination of the human spirit. Pollès has left his imprint on this earth. It is A Masterful Piece of Sculpture - For The Ages.

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