As the child of a prominent cabinetmaker, Luis Montull cut his teeth using wood shop tools. As a mature sculptor Montull assembles a masterful body of expressive stonework. His sculpture is a marvelous blend of wide ranging styles: Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Mexican, and African forms are found in Montull´s inspired forms deal fearlessly with all aspect of life. His works are found in showrooms, village squares, and churches among other place. The sheer breadth of Montull´s creativity is straggering. Equally as diverse are his materials: Italian marble, ebony and mahogany is a short list.
Montull´s own personality illuminates his forms. He is a tireless creator whose great energy is as evident as the significant amount of labor that fills each piece. Homenaje a Isadora Duncan 2, a piece from his Isadora Duncan collection begun in 1990, exhibits Montull´s great talent for creating a highly detailed, skilfully poised, motion-filled figure from wood, an incredibly unforgiving medium; he defies the associated rigidity by making it look as if the figure was born of the material.
Reflexion is a more interpretive take on figuration. The long slender female is seated in a more staid position than his Homenaje a Isadora Duncan 2. With an open book over her chest the figure gazes upward. Quiet and wistful, the woman looks beyond herself in a moment of ponderous reflection. There is a high degree of finish on the surface. Montull varies the textures to describe the differences in his figure´s body and clothing. He works hand in hand with the stone´s original shape. What is left is a bodily incarnation of the original block or stone, yet transformed to be a light and airy female.
The sculptures are elegant, exotic and consistently attractive. Dedication and passion have made that combination of qualities into a winning career for Montull, who lives in the Canary Islands where he makes sculpture full time.
New York. ArtisSpectrum 12/2004,
