August 10, 2010. Sculpting is what one calls the kind of art that involves shaping clay, chipping away at marble or any other material. But not all sculptures convey feelings nor seek to contribute something to society.




That, however, is Dony MacManus’s goal. While creating shapes and figures he also wants to remind society of the importance of each person and the importance of human dignity.

Dony MacManus
Sculptor
“Essentially is to communicate the deepest aspects of the human condition with the human body. Because the human body is the perfect vehicle to communicate the human condition. And if people don’t understand the vocabulary of the human body, the  textures, the colors, the tone, if they don’t understand basic vocabulary of human body they will never be able to communicate the former of the human condition.”

But most importantly for an artists is their inspiration and in Dony MacManus case, he has no doubts.

Dony MacManus
Sculptor
“My main inspiration from my work is my faith. A lot of the works I have done are sacred themes a particular the guru of Saint Joseph is a recurrent theme in my work. I’m mostly inspired in works of  Saint Josemaria Escriva, founder Opus Dei, because he talks of Saint Joseph as a young virile man but also compassionate and loving, that’s something that I wanted to capture in my work.”

Dony MacManus wans to convey a very specific message to society. He wants to present the importance of parenting in today's world.

Dony MacManus
Sculptor
“This image of Saint Joseph as a strong and compassionate, and loving and intimate and this is also a way of encouraging the vocation of fatherhood. because something I have noticed in the social work I have done in Dublin or in NY, the Bronx or so on is a real crisis in some marriages of fatherhood.”

An artist who, out of every masterpiece, shares a gift with society. A sculptor who makes his work a daily encounter with humanity.

BR/MC