The work of internationally renowned master sculptor Rafael Barrios has been added to the permanent collection at Contemporaneo Asheville. Gallery owner Francisco Troconis first discovered Barrios’ work in the 1980s. “I was mesmerized by the magic that his sculptures created, obliterating everything that I have seen and known in the sculpture world,” he says. “His exploration of angles and vertices captures the attention of even the most indifferent individual. His innovation and defiance on the traditional truly elevates our permanent collection.” A Venezuelan, Barrios was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He studied Fine Arts in Canada, the United States and Venezuela, and earned many scholarships and awards throughout his studies and into his professional career.

The artist explored a variety of media before landing on steel. “Steel allows exactness and precision while working with vertices and angles,” says the artist. “The ductility of metals allows me to play with endless permutations, while creating pieces that show strength, permanence.” A number of Barrios’ pieces are enormous and placed outside, so durability and preservation are important components in his choice of media. His pieces can be found across the world in public spaces, including Art et Industrie in New York; Coca-Cola International Headquarters in New York; the Seguros Venezuela Building in Caracas; and Procter & Gamble’s Headquarters in Caracas.

Visit Contemporaneo to see three pieces by Barrios: Ascendente Inversa, Nimbus Inversa and Levitating Nimbus. “These three pieces are part of a very limited series that represent my endless exploration of geometry, angles and visual possibilities,” says Barrios. “Each and every piece is very important to me because it embodies decades of research with space, shape, dimensions, angles and gravity.”

Contemporaneo Asheville is located at 4 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, visit ContemporaneoAsheville.Shop or call 828.253.0879