Luciano Galán & Daniel Maldonado

When two talents come together

• Daniel and Luciano started working together shortly after meeting
• They recreate traditional ceramic heads with humour
• Their objective is to unleash their imagination

Two passions but one soul: this is the story of the Seville ceramics workshop The Exvotos and its two founders, Daniel Maldonado and Luciano Galán. Daniel studied art in Seville, then headed to Lisbon with a grant to work in 18th century ceramics painting and restoration. In 2001, having just met Luciano, who shared the same passion for art and sculpture, the idea emerged for them to create a company together, The Exvotos. After leaving his engineering career, Luciano also studied art in Seville, before heading to Venice. Now with their talents merged together, they are able to create singular colourful pieces which convey a rare happiness.

Interview

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©Sonia Fraga

How did the idea to work together arrive?

Just in the moment we met. Both of us were very clear about what we wanted. And we discovered that we were very good collaborators. We both realised that we could create something different and new, uniting our talents. Everything comes from the two of us.

What did you consider an important moment in your education?

In Venice, Luciano worked with the Venetian sculptor Giano Lovato, a specialist in masks. And in Seville, Daniel has worked with what we call in Spain an 'imaginero', a specialist in religious sculpture, an art that is impossible to learn at a school.

How did you come to create your signature vessel heads?

In a museum in Rome we discovered a room filled with terracotta ex-votos from the Roman Empire. An ex-voto is an oblation to the gods. The idea arrived as a revelation. At that time we didn't know about Cartagirone sculptures, the Moor and Princess heads. Our heads aren’t an imitation at all.

Is there any tradition in Andalusia of these kind of sculptures?

What we have in Andalusia is a great tradition of sculptures with religious meaning. We embedded ourselves in these traditions, and our pieces are born from Andalusia, with all its colour and luminosity. They speak about the joy of the south.

Luciano Galán & Daniel Maldonado are expert artisans they began their career in 2001

Works

©The Exvotos Ora et Labora S.L.

©The Exvotos Ora et Labora S.L.

©The Exvotos Ora et Labora S.L.

©The Exvotos Ora et Labora S.L.

©The Exvotos Ora et Labora S.L.

Where