MARIA white resin.
The handheld Icon of Mary.
Cast in white resin with marble powder.
Delivered along with bag and flyer.
8 cm | 3 in

The White expresses spirituality, candor, purity. The color white is perceived as the image of the force capable of activating matter. Therefore, life is not represented by white but the vital energy that is the basis of all creation.

By the end of 1999, following the exhibitions in Barcelona, Vic, Tarragona and Tortosa, the first Maria exhibition in Italy took place at the Georgian University in Rome. It was also the return of Guido Dettoni della Grazia to his homeland after many years of absence. At the time of the Rome exhibition, the reproductions of the original Maria were 5.5 in (14.5 cm) high. A shape “To be seen by the hands and touched by the eyes. “The exhibition also included the enlargement of Maria -32 in (80 cm) high- to be viewed by the eyes only (touched through sight) and not held. These were the only two possible approaches to the image.

After the installation of the Rome exhibition, the author took a walk of meditation and came upon a large sculpture of Jesus Christ in the Peristyle of the University. Guido’s meditation was in the role of Mary as an intermediary and intercessor on behalf of the person praying to Jesus and the concept that once this was achieved, Mary would then disappear. During this meditation the question appeared in his mind: How do I make this handheld image disappear? Immediately the answer came to him: We must reduce Maria, so she is able to disappear within the hand. A third approach to experiencing Maria was born: Seeing the image with the hand only, Maria disappearing into the person’s hand and connected by touch with the heart.

The decision was taken after this revelation. A reduced image of MARIA was produced. Ever since, thousands of people have kept and are keeping MARIA at reach of their hands in their daily life as a touchstone to their prayer and meditation and a symbol of comfort and compassion.

This version of the reduced one as well as the one of the original is cast in white resin -one by one- mixed with marble powder by the artisan in Barcelona who since 1998 reproduces them.

www.maria.tk