Mariposa de la Vida: sculptor Pablo Atchugarry’s monumental art that connects Uruguay to the world

Routes 104 and 10 intersection in Maldonado, Uruguay, now houses a majestic stainless steel sculpture nearly 12 meters tall and 30 tons. Mariposa de la Vida (“Butterfly of Life”), valued at US$2 million, was donated by its creator, renowned Uruguayan sculptor Pablo Atchugarry, as a tribute to the people of Maldonado and his brother Alejandro Atchugarry.

“I donate it to Maldonado, but it is Maldonado and it is Uruguay. I hope the butterfly helps us to make all our dreams fly,” he said, according to El Observador newspaper. Atchugarry emphasized that his primary motivation was to support the country through art and turn this donation into a cultural legacy.

The work arrived in Uruguay from Italy, conceived and made of stainless steel. This material marks a difference concerning Carrara marble, characteristic of the sculptor’s work. Seven containers and an outstanding logistic operation were needed to move it. Before being installed in Maldonado, “Mariposa de la Vida” was part of the festival at the Teatro del Silencio in Tuscany, an event led by the artist Andrea Bocelli.

The installation of the sculpture was also highlighted by the general director of Administration and Human Resources of the Municipality of Maldonado, who emphasized its impact on tourism: “The work will become a new iconic photo for the world, similar to the famous monument to La Mano in Punta del Este,” he said in statements reported by Telemundo.