p 5 OF SYMPOSIA
IN 1959 IN AN AUSTRIAN QUARRY, KARL PRANTLHADANIDEATHATWOULDCHANGE THE INTERNATIONAL FACE OF SCULPTURE: WHY NOT INVITE SCULPTORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW THE FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS? TO THAT END, PRANTL FOUND A QUARRY THAT OFFERED THE USE OF MATERIALS AND STONE FOR FREE. THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUM TOOK PLACE IN AN ABANDONED STONE QUARRY IN SANKT MARGARETHEN IN BURGENLAND. “SCULPTORS FROM AROUND THEWORLD JOINED TOGETHER TO PRODUCE A PERMANENT PUBLIC ARTWORK FROM LOCAL STONE, A DYNAMIC WHICH WOULD PROVIDE THE MODEL FOR MANY SYMPOSIA TO FOLLOW.” (WIKIPEDIA)
Since that initial sculpture symposium, an international movement has been in evidence. Hundreds of symposia have occurred and all have lead to a flowering of the sculpture media. The symposia have allowed thousands of people who are interested to observe the making of sculpture first hand. This is a window that was never before open to the general population.
The benefits of these events are numerous. Cross-cultural dialogues between sculptors, allowing free exchange of ideas and techniques have proven to be invaluable to participants.
Friendships spring from these exchanges, making the world smaller and more understandable from a sculptural point of view. Sculpture symposia tend to be initiated by sculptors, (though not always) and invitations to them tends to initiate more symposia by attending sculptors.
Working in large scale media is often not financially possible to the average sculptor. Symposia allow exploration of different large scale media, mostly stone, but also different media such as bronze casting and fabricated pieces in metals such as stainless steel. Facing a large 10 to 15 ton stone for the first time can be a daunting as well as an exhilarating experience.
Traveling to foreign lands and working in an intensive and culturally different environment is of great value to most sculptors. The contemporary buzz- word “networking’ is exactly correct in this context.
Most sculpture symposia use stone as the medium of choice; it tends to be plentiful and relatively easy to deal with, using a minimal amount of equipment for each individual sculptor. Of course when heavy stones are being utilized, appropriate lifting equipment must be brought in periodically to deal with turning and upending stones. Stone can range from 2 cubic meters (around 7 tons or so) to much larger. The largest piece I created was a balancing piece in Vietnam with a total weight of 32 metric tons.
around the world joined together.
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