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Umetnik se predstavlja s človeškim portretom v odnosu do maske in objekta.

"Pugelj je za izdelavo človeškega portreta-mesta uporabil škodljivo plastično maso, s katero meri na obsedeno skrb urbanega človeka s svojo podobo. V nasprotju s plastično masko urbanega človeka pa ga navdušujejo in navdihuje obredna maska, ki si jo - v tesni povezanosti z naravo - naslikajo novozelandski domorodci. V Botoxityju se tako združita posmeh instant mestni lepoti ter fascinacija nad primarnim človekovim odnosom do narave. Za Pugljevo kiparstvo drži, da "misliti kiparsko pomeni materializirati tudi nematerialno".Material mu pomeni zgolj sredstvo in nikoli ne preraste same ideje, čeprav se v procesu približevanja prilagaja materialu. Portreti (maske objekti) bi zaradi materiala in velikosti morali delovati težko in neobvladljivo, vendar je izvedba objekta taka, da z igro svetlobe in sence avtor doseže učinek, kot bi orjaški obraz lebdel v zraku."

Dandanes, ko so galerije in razstavišča polna instalacij in videoprodukcije in je klasični kip že prava redkost, je umetniško delovanje in razmišljanje Primoža Puglja prava osvežitev v prostoru, napolnjenem z že omenjeno produkcijo. Pri vsem tem ne gre prezreti, da Pugelj ni kipar, ki mu je najpomembnejša oblika, temveč da ga prav tako, če ne še bolj, zanima tudi vsebina. Za dosego želenega učinka uporablja razne materiale, s katerimi neobremenjeno eksperimentira, dokler beton, železo, poliester ali mavec ne zaživijo v obliki in vsebini, ki si ju je zamislil. Pred nami se pojavijo podobe, ki zaradi svoje nadnaravne velikosti morda učinkujejo "na prvo žogo", vendar gledalcu postane kmalu jasno, da bo za pravo razumevanje potrebno kaj več kot le površen pogled. Humorne rešitve, ki so rezultati umetnikovih razmišljanj, pa v sebi skrivajo veliko mero meditativnosti.
Narava ter človek in njegovo bivanje so teme, ki se nenehno prepletajo v njegovem umetniškem ustvarjanju. Pugelj je v svojih delih raziskoval človekove primarne funkcije, kot so dihanje, hoja, spanje ... V zadnjem obdobju ustvarjanja pa ga zanima človeški portret. Vendar ne gre za portret kot tradicionalno ikonografsko temo, temveč portret v odnosu do maske in objekta. Zanima ga, koliko časa je portret sploh portret in kdaj postane maska ter kdaj se v procesu opazovanja portret in maska združita v objekt. Zanima ga človekov jaz, tisto kar se skriva za podobo, ki jo kažemo svetu. Podobo, za katero skrbimo, da se ne spreminja in stara skupaj s človekom, temveč jo negujemo in ohranjamo nespremenjeno, pa čeprav se pri tem poslužujemo tudi strupov. Pugelj je za izdelavo človeškega portreta-mesta uporabil škodljivo plastično maso, s katero meri na obsedeno skrb urbanega človeka s svojo podobo. V nasprotju s plastično masko urbanega človeka pa ga navdušuje in navdihuje obredna maska, ki si jo -- v tesni povezanosti z naravo -- naslikajo novozelandski domorodci. V Botoxityju se tako združita posmeh instant mestni lepoti ter fascinacija nad primarnim človekovim odnosom do narave. Za Pugljevo kiparstvo drži, da "misliti kiparsko pomeni materializirati tudi nematerialno". Material mu pomeni zgolj sredstvo in nikoli ne preraste same ideje, čeprav se v procesu približevanja ideji prilagaja materialu. Portreti (maske objekti) bi zaradi izbire materiala in velikosti morali delovati težko in neobvladljivo, vendar je izvedba objekta taka, da z igro svetlobe in sence avtor doseže učinek, kot bi orjaški obraz lebdel v zraku.
Primož Pugelj je umetnik, ki reflektira dogajanja v sodobni družbi, in to od najelementarnejših pa do tistih že skoraj izrojenih, ki so vedno pogostejša v človekovem bivanju. Pred leti je izjavil, da "življenje vidi kot skušnjavo, ki se ji poskuša upreti in jo sprejeti". S svojimi ironičnimi umetninami pa nam dokazuje, da mu je uspelo do življenja vzpostaviti zdravo distanco.

Today, when galleries are filled with installations and video works and when a classical statue is a rarity, the artistic works and creativity of Primož Pugelj are a breath of fresh air in a space crammed with this kind of artistic production. But we must not forget that Pugelj is not a sculptor who focuses only on form he is equally, if not predominantly, fascinated with content. In order to create the desired effect, he uses various materials, with which he experiments freely until concrete, iron, polyester or plaster come to life in the form and content as he has envisaged them. Before us, there stand images that, due to their monumental size, may appear obvious, but soon we realise that for the proper understanding of these works, something more than just a superficial glance is necessary. As a result of the artist,s thoughts, witty solutions are marked with large doses of meditation.
The topics of nature, man and their existence constantly intertwine in Pugelj,s work. The artist has explored primary human functions, such as breathing, walking and sleeping. But recently, he has focused on the human portrait. This is not a portrait in terms of traditional iconography, but a portrait in relation to the mask and object. He wants to know how long a portrait is a portrait, when it turns into a mask and at what stage in the process of observation the portrait and the mask blend into the object. He is interested in the human self, in what is behind the image that we show to the world, behind the image that we nurture so that it does not change and grow old together with us, but that instead stays the same even if we have to make use of poisons in order to achieve this. To create a human portrait-city, Pugelj used a toxic plastic material that alludes to the obsession of the urban man with his appearance. But instead of the plastic mask of the urban man, he finds true fascination and inspiration in the ritual mask painted in close connection with nature on the faces of the New Zealand indigenous population. Botoxity therefore mocks instant urban beauty while extolling the primary human relationship with nature. Pugelj,s sculptural works declare "To think sculpturally means to materialise even the immaterial." Material is merely a means it never outgrows the idea, although in the process of capturing the idea, the artist adjusts to the material. Due to the material and size selected, portraits (masks-objects) should seem heavy and impossible to handle, but the object is brought about by means of a play of light and shadows, which creates the effect of a giant face floating in the air.
As an artist, Primo/ Pugelj reflects on the phenomena that take place in contemporary society, ranging from the most elementary to the almost perverted ones that are increasingly frequent in human existence. Several years ago, he stated that he sees life as a temptation that he tries to resist and embrace. His ironic works are proof that he has succeeded in creating a healthy distance towards life.
Petra Skaberne

Primož Pugelj se je rodil leta 1973 v Kopru. Leta 1993 je končal Srednjo šolo za oblikovanje in fotografijo v Ljubljani, smer industrijsko oblikovanje. Leta 1998 je diplomiral na Akademiji za likovno umetnost v Ljubljani, smer kiparstvo, kjer je leta 2002 končal magistrski študij pri prof. Počivavšku. Sodeloval je na več delavnicah, tudi mednarodnih, tako npr. leta 1997 na simpoziju Experimental Sculpture v Hollfgardu na Danskem, leta 2001 v Kanadi in leta 2002 na Bronasti delavnici v Italiji in Sloveniji.

Pomembnejše razstave> /1997/ Break 21, Ljubljana< Bienale mladih, Reka, Hrvaška< This Art is recycled, Galerija Škuc, Ljubljana /1999/ Galerija Alkatraz, Ljubljana< Galerija Pekarna, Maribor< Sculpture from the Basement, IUP, Pensilvanija, ZDA /2000/ SLO FINE ART (Manifesta 3), Ljubljana /2001/ Galerija Be/igrad, Ljubljana< Galerija Ivana Groharja, Škofja Loka< HICETNUNC, San Vito al Tagliamento /2002/ Flag Art Festival (FIFA World Cup), Nanjicheon Park, Koreja< Laboratorio di Bronza, Galerija A + A, Benetke, Italija< Bronasta delavnica, Galerija Equrna, Ljubljana /2004/ Galerija Hest 35, Ljubljana

Primož Pugelj was born in 1973 in Koper. In 1993 he finished Secondary School of Design and Photography in Ljubljana (industrial design department). In 1998 he graduated from the Ljubljana Academy of Fine Arts (in the class of Prof. Počivavšek). He has participated in several workshops, domestically and internationally, such as the Experimental Sculpture Symposium in Hollfgard, Denmark (1997), in Canada (2001) and the Bronze Laboratory in Italy and Slovenia (2002).

Major exhibitions> /1997/ Break 21, Ljubljana< Young Artists Biennial, Rijeka, Croatia< This Art is Recycled, Škuc Gallery, Ljubljana /1999/ Alkatraz Gallery, Ljubljana< Pekarna Gallery, Maribor< Sculpture from the Basement, IUP, Pennsylvania, USA /2000/ SLO FINE ART (Manifesta 3), Ljubljana /2001/ Be/igrad Gallery, Ljubljana< Ivan Grohar Gallery, Škofja Loka< HICETNUNC, San Vito al Tagliamento /2002/ Flag Art Festival (FIFA World Cup), Nanjicheon Park, Korea< Laboratorio di Bronza, Galerija A+A, Venice, Italy< Bronze Laboratory, Equrna Gallery, Ljubljana /2004/ Hest 35 Gallery, Ljubljana