Alfredo Halegua sees the world as a project – a malleable, tactile place where creativity is an essential part of how people thrive. He sees a world in which homes double as sculptures and art is made to be used rather than kept behind glass – it is walked on, impacted, touched with the hands.
“The work of a sculptor is similar to the work of an architect. [It is to] occupy space, animate space, to influence the space to affect us in a different way,” Halegua says. Much of what he does has a modern sort of playfulness to it, although you might not see it at first. One somewhat static-looking sculpture of a cube contained in circular forms moves and changes when climbed upon. The surprising depth of simple forms is a reflection of Halegua himself. His kind smile is subtle, as if he’s letting you in on a secret. If he is, it’s this: The freshness of his ideas belies his 76 masterful years.
The spacious Northwest DC home he and his wife, Raquel, share – part gallery, part workshop – reflects his life as an artist, and the journey has been vast and intricate. Born to a tailor and a teacher in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he studied painting, woodcarving, printmaking, and sculpture, he has since taken on the roles of urban planner, author, teacher, and conceptual architect. His own Picasso-inspired paintings, world-class works by his mentors and other artists he admires, shelves of small figural pieces he crafted years ago, and photographs of his larger sculptures fill the space.
His art is internationally acclaimed and widely coveted. He has exhibited work in the Rodin Museum, outside The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and on the campus of George Mason University, to name a few locations. Upstairs in his home is a small gallery of projects in every stage of the process. An array of model photographs line the walls: rearranged cityscapes, stunning water features, and all sorts of functional public art. He’s impacted properties both public and private throughout his career.
Despite its large scale, his art often travels the world before settling down somewhere. Photographs in his foyer show one geometric cement piece being lowered by helicopter in front of a Baltimore school; another shows the same piece being climbed on by young children. “If an idea is good in itself, it will find its right place,” he says. Halegua should know. He’s had plenty. ws
