Art21Studio

The production of a life-size statue honoring the life and legacy of Maximiliano Rodríguez Morales , a renowned agrarian leader from the Ojo de Agua ejido in the Zamora region of Michoacán, was a deeply meaningful project, carried out in close collaboration with the Rodríguez family, children, grandchildren, and friends. From the very first conversations, which took place in late 2024, the family expressed their desire to pay tribute to a man whose dedication to the countryside and the community shaped the history of the ejido. Maximiliano was a tireless advocate for peasant rights, promoted agrarian organization, and fought for better conditions for his people, successfully implementing irrigation and agricultural development projects that benefited entire generations.

 The artistic process began in early 2025, using materials such as expanded polystyrene, fiberglass, a metal frame, and plasticine, ensuring a robust and detailed work. The technique applied allowed for the precise sculpting of Maximilian's features, capturing both his strength and the warmth that characterized him. Several family visits to the Art21Studio workshop and the use of historical photographs were instrumental in adding unique details that reflect the affection and admiration his loved ones feel for him. Every suggestion and memory shared by his children and grandchildren enriched the modeling, turning the work into a true symbol of family love.

 By the summer of 2025, the final model was approved by the family, and the figure was transformed into silicon bronze using the lost-wax casting process, a technique renowned for its precision and durability, used in sculptures of a high artistic level. This procedure ensured that the statue would not only withstand the passage of time, but also faithfully convey Maximilian 's dignity and spirit. In October, the statue was finally unveiled by his family in the Ojo de Agua ejido, marking a moving gathering where filial love and community respect intertwined to celebrate the memory of a man whose legacy lives on in the heart of Zamora and in the fields he loved so much.