Pope Paschal I's Left Eye Socket (2026) by Indio Möglich is a sculptural glass work exploring the relationship between mortality, religious iconography and material transformation. Its richly textured surface is layered with shimmering gold, bronze and deep crimson tones, lending the work an almost archaeological quality. Hollow eye sockets, delicately defined teeth and an irregular, weathered finish contrast with the ornamental glass formations rising from the crown, where a small cross evokes the sacred imagery of Christian reliquaries.

The title references Pope Paschal I, the ninth-century pontiff known for his patronage of religious art and the preservation of Christian relics. Drawing on the traditions of memento mori and sacred ornamentation, the sculpture transforms a familiar symbol of death into an object of beauty and preciousness. Its dense, metallic surface evokes the appearance of an ancient relic, blurring the boundaries between historical artefact and contemporary sculpture.

Balancing the sacred and the macabre, Möglich's work explores the tension between fragility and permanence, decay and embellishment, inviting reflection on the ways in which mortality can be both confronted and adorned.