Branching Chandelier 2025

BALANCING ACT: Unique branching chandelier by Mexican artist Julio Martínez Barnetche. This branching chandelier is a sculptural feat of balance and material harmony. Four marble disc lights sit atop brass arms, calibrated by a movable counterweight carved from wood and stone. Anchored by a raw piece of Zarza wood left in its natural state, the work merges precision and spontaneity—an ode to craftsmanship, equilibrium, and the creative impulse that thrives in risk and play. The piece was unveiled during Mexico City Art Week, February 2025.

Artist Statement:
Calder clearly kept a very close eye on his mobiles. The experience required to balance entirely asymmetrical forms with unpredictable weights is essential to achieving what he did. None of his pieces were outsourced to external workshops, which can practically be guaranteed if you have ever witnessed up close the intricate process needed to achieve that "balance."

The chandelier is taking shape, and as a work of art, it is looking beautiful. It is that creative impulse that drives one to accept disadvantageous conditions. Another important factor is the immense pleasure that comes with the calm of setting imagination in motion and embarking on the journey of the creative process.

It never ceases to amaze me and I try to find the right words to describe the improvisation inherent in the creative process and the immense pleasure derived from this risky game of making decisions, always with the chance of getting it wrong. That exhilarating tingling sensation—adrenaline yet peace—an elevated state of consciousness reached during the creative process. Childlike addiction and obsession, refusing to grow up and always wanting to play.