{"id":109196,"date":"2026-05-02T07:29:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T06:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/?p=109196"},"modified":"2026-05-01T21:36:35","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T20:36:35","slug":"david-rodriguez-caballero-the-mutua-madrid-open-lets-me-dream-and-turn-a-trophy-into-a-work-of-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/david-rodriguez-caballero-the-mutua-madrid-open-lets-me-dream-and-turn-a-trophy-into-a-work-of-art\/","title":{"rendered":"David Rodr\u00edguez Caballero: \u201cThe Mutua Madrid Open lets me dream and turn a trophy into a work of art\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk are the names bidding this weekend to lift Aphorme<\/span>, the new Mutua Madrid Open trophy. Created by David Rodr\u00edguez Caballero, the piece is inspired by the serve, the origin of the point and the movement of the body in competition.<\/p>\n

At his home, in his studio, David Rodr\u00edguez Caballero welcomes his visitors surrounded by shapes, metal and silence. There, where ideas materialise on paper before they are given form, the trophy for the next Mutua Madrid Open is coming to life. He speaks as he works; unhurried, with precision, and with an unwavering faith in the process.<\/p>\n

Question. How did this new piece come into being and how did it become what it is now?<\/b> <\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Answer.<\/b> <\/b>Well, this year\u2019s trophy sculpture began with a press photo, taken by a photographer called Antonio Calanni. It\u2019s a photo that really grabbed my attention because it captures a moment from Carlos Alcaraz\u2019s serve, against De Minaur, at the championship in Turin. I believe it was in the Turin Arena. There\u2019s a sharp image of his whole body, but the racquet, the player\u2019s tool, along with the arm, is in motion. So, on the one hand, you have this very clear depiction of the body, but on the other, there\u2019s a kind of shape, like an axe or a blurry whirlwind created by the movement, and it really captivated me. I really fell in love with it. From there, I started to build on that idea of the serve. That\u2019s why the title of the piece is Aphorme, which means the starting point, the origin, relating to the serve.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Do you usually look to classical Greece in your works or is it something specifically tied to this more sport-related phase?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>In general, no. This is something I developed specifically for making the tournament sculpture, because I believe sport is very closely linked to art and it seemed beautiful to connect it with classical Greece.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Last year\u2019s piece, Kineo, was about the movement of the sphere. And this new work is about the movement of the body. Was it a natural step from geometry to anatomy?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>I believe so. Last year, Kineo was about the movement of the ball, of the serve itself, translated or beginning from a sphere, structured through a fold, which is how I work, and using a geometric shape, the triangle. This year it\u2019s about the serve, about the body, about, as you rightly say, the anatomy of the tennis player. In the end, this sculpture, or the idea behind Aphorme, is the serve, about that advantage or opportunity the player has over their opponent, using a combination of speed, precision and direction to determine the point.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>When you saw the image of Alcaraz serving, did you already have a preconceived idea of what the trophy could be, or was that when you realised where you should start?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>I had more of a feeling than an idea, because the first step in art is generally impulses, sensations, feelings that you gradually develop from. In my case, I start making very automatic drawings based on that feeling. I had a clear sense of a kind of union between the tool and the arm, a kind of movement, a swirl, something centrifugal heading towards a point while also being very powerful. From there, I began working with lines in the drawings, and this is the result.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>How long can the whole creative process take, from the first sketches to the final form?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>There is no set time. It depends on the work, inspiration and how things develop, how the shapes eventually evolve. With this sculpture, for instance, there\u2019s a lot of back and forth. First, there\u2019s a stage of automatic drawing, based on feeling, which isn\u2019t about design but a drawing I call visual thinking.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Like automatic writing?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes, automatic, based on feeling, abstract things that gradually take shape in my mind. Then I use that paper, which is the canvas for the drawing, and start to play with paper models, creating three-dimensional shapes linked to those drawings. Then I start to pin down a shape much more and, after that, I return to paper, to drawing, to design or define the form. Next, I make a metal model, and from there I make corrections. Sometimes the model even gets destroyed and I have to go back a step. The process isn\u2019t linear, it\u2019s very multifaceted, with lots of back and forth.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Was there ever a moment when you felt that image would completely determine the course of the work?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>This year, yes. The image was so powerful\u2026 In other years, I haven\u2019t started from an image. In the end, an image is very influential and limiting, it kind of takes you over. In other cases, I started from a shape. For example, the first year, with Arete, I started from the idea of the racquet. The racquet is an oval with a handle, an extension, a shape. That was more complicated, but with this image I was very clear about the theme of movement and a sort of funnel, a spiral, which evokes the beginning of something powerful.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>When making this piece, did you take your previous works for the Mutua Madrid Open into account, or are they all independent?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Everything is linked. An artist\u2019s work is a kind of sedimentation, or work in progress, where you build one piece on top of another and in the end there are always recurring elements. In this sculpture, there are two elements I\u2019ve developed over the last 25 years: the curve, essentially, and the fold, which is like an organic and an inorganic element. There\u2019s the idea of the void, which creates shadows, and there\u2019s light, which is an absolutely vital element in my work. Ultimately, in this sculpture, it\u2019s the light and shadow that define the volume. It\u2019s all part of my connecting thread, my language and my work.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>In terms of materials, once again you\u2019ve combined aluminium and brass.<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes, I use many types of metals: aluminium, brass, bronze, copper, steel\u2026 But in this case, as with Kineo last year, I\u2019ve combined silver and gold, which are aluminium and brass, because in the end these are the two materials that symbolise success or victory. The winner gets gold, the runner-up gets silver, and I liked having that represented because it reflects what the final is, the last match.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>You work a lot with sanding and erosion. How do light and shadow play on the curves of this new piece?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>I work with light as a physical element, that is, with light as matter, always, throughout my work. The aluminium itself undergoes an erosion process, which creates a sort of vibration, a kind of retinal effect, so to speak, where the light reflects in a particular way and the metals capture it. This all generates shadows and light, just as, for instance, the architects in Greece did. They built with matter but clearly understood that shadow was an element that shaped and created spaces. It\u2019s a bit like that here; these shadows are part of the work and they define spaces through folds and curves, creating retinal spaces that aren\u2019t physical but exist in perception.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>When finishing it, did you also use new technologies or was it a purely material process?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>This year I did it using sheet metal. Two years ago, I did it through casting, because the idea was the racquet and the strings included some planes that intersected, basically the wires from welding rods. I did that with casting and a computer system to give it volume and study the planes. But this year, it was all through the plans from my paper models. I don\u2019t usually use computer programmes because there\u2019s a risk; they\u2019re very gimmicky and it\u2019s very easy to create forms that way. I much prefer to develop things physically, by hand, because I think it\u2019s generally better for the work. But of course, any technology is a help for development if used well.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Despite your natural relationship with sport, it must have been a surprise when the tournament contacted you four years ago. There must also be a sense of gratitude.<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes, absolutely. It was completely unexpected for me. We met at ARCO, where I had an exhibition with my gallery, and they suggested I create the trophy. The truth is, Gerard, the president, and his wife, Natalia, are great art lovers and that\u2019s why they had this brilliant idea of linking art and sport. They suggested it and I thought it was a real challenge. And I love anything that\u2019s a challenge and has constraints, because I think it helps the artist evolve. I\u2019m very grateful to the Mutua Madrid Open, because they give me the chance to do something different. And with complete freedom, with great kindness and relaxation. We have a great relationship and really hit it off.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Do you feel that you\u2019re building more than just an annual trophy, almost a collection with its own significance?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes, I think we\u2019re doing very fluid work and I hope it will have an impact in the future and become an important collection.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>There are also several surprises planned around that journey.<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Exactly. This year we\u2019re going to have an exhibition. Last year, the work was shown in the VIP area, in the tunnel with the trophies, but this year, I think the five trophies will be displayed outside, along with preparatory drawings. We think that\u2019s important because it gives an idea of how the artist thinks and how the sculpture comes about. The whole process can be seen through drawings, because there are no tricks in drawing. You see a sculpture and there\u2019s been a lot of production, but drawing is much more immediate, where you\u2019re not thinking about anything at all. That\u2019s why I love drawings. We\u2019re going to exhibit a selection of preparatory drawings for the trophies, to show how things start and where they come from.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Does the tournament set any guidelines for you or do you have complete freedom?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>The tournament doesn\u2019t impose any restrictions. Obviously, I know I\u2019m working to a height of around 50 centimetres, for the collection that\u2019s being put together, but there are no limitations. They let me dream and create. I present it to the president, Gerard, and there haven\u2019t been any problems in any year. They have complete trust in me and I think both sides are very happy; me, because of the trust they have in me and the respect they have for art, and they, because of the results.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>You\u2019ve said before that the best work is always yet to come. Is that part of an artist\u2019s dissatisfaction?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes, there are two things. On the one hand, there\u2019s a deep dissatisfaction in the minds and personalities of artists, that\u2019s a fact, because that\u2019s what keeps us motivated to keep going, for that work in progress we talk about. But I also have to say the best work is the one we\u2019re making right now, because of the stimulus, because that\u2019s what you\u2019re immersed in. When I hear book or film launches, I\u2019m sure the creator is already thinking about other things and the rest is just promotion. Once I finish a work, it no longer serves me. I don\u2019t like to surround myself with my own work, but to have a blank canvas to keep chasing that urge to make new things. So, the best piece is always the one that doesn\u2019t exist yet.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Have you received any feedback from champions of previous editions?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>Yes. I had the privilege of meeting Carlos Alcaraz in his first year, which was when he really burst onto the scene, and it was lovely. The next year, when he won again, you could see a big change, not in his personality, but in how he approached things. My experience with Alcaraz was incredibly warm-hearted. He really appreciated the work, regardless of whether he\u2019s interested in art or not, I have no idea if he is, but he thought it was special. I think he was very aware that he wasn\u2019t just getting a trophy but a piece of art, a sculpture that acts as a trophy. And in general, my experience with all the players I\u2019ve met, and those who\u2019ve won the prize, has been very positive. Obviously, it\u2019s easier with Spaniards than, say, Russians or Germans, but still, all very positive. For instance, Sabalenka was also very affectionate. I had a great feeling with all of them.<\/p>\n

Q.<\/b> <\/b>Has anyone ever asked you to make it a bit easier to lift the following year?<\/p>\n

A.<\/b> <\/b>This year I wanted to make a kind of base, so it can be picked up from there and it\u2019s much more comfortable. Also, the base is less prominent, because the idea of a big base made me a bit uneasy, it\u2019s too much like a traditional trophy. The real concept here is to create a sculpture, to give a piece of art as a gift.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Mirra Andreeva and Marta Kostyuk are the names bidding this weekend to lift Aphorme, the new Mutua Madrid Open trophy. Created by David Rodr\u00edguez Caballero, the piece is inspired by the serve, the origin of the point and the movement of the body in competition. At his home, in his studio, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":109190,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"mc4wp_mailchimp_campaign":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[838,837,843],"tags":[1208],"class_list":["post-109196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-noticias-tenis-masculino-en","category-noticias-tenis-en","category-noticias-tenis-femenino-en","tag-aphorne"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109196"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":109198,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109196\/revisions\/109198"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mutuamadridopen.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}