April – July 2021
The practicalities of how an artist approaches making a sculpture have often been shrouded in mystery. The relationship between artists and skilled fabricators is rarely acknowledged. Through a series of online roundtable discussions and in-conversation events, artists, fabricators and academics explored the relationship between artists and skilled fabricators, making visible the ways in which contemporary sculptors realise their vision through collaboration and exchange. The series examines the ways in which sculpture making continues to evolve.
This season of fabrication talks was organised by Pangaea Sculptors’ Centre and the Henry Moore Institute, in collaboration with the Universities of Leeds, York and Sheffield.
Leviathan by Sir Anish Kapoor at Monumenta, Grand Palais, in Paris France 2011, courtesy of MDM Props; credit: Watch the world, shutterstock.com
Live discussion Wednesday 21 April 2021, 6pm
Professor Karin Ruggaber (UCL), artist Simeon Barclay and fabricators Rui Pignatelli (Pangaea Sculptors’ Centre) and Nigel Schofield (MDM Props) discuss the professional relationship between sculpture and fabrication. The speakers explored issues regarding the teaching of fabrication in art schools, access to fabrication facilities and how knowledge of fabrication may inform sculptural practice. This was followed by discussion and questions from the audience.
Watch recording and find out more
Reaching Out, (2018), by @tpstudio, Foundry Process, credit London Bronze Casting
Live in-conversation Wednesday 28 April 2021, 6pm
The recording of this event will be available soon.
THE END, artist’s collage, 2016, courtesy the artist
Live in-conversation with Elizabeth Neilson (Pangea Sculptors’ Centre), Wednesday 12 May 2021, 6pm
Heather Phillipson spoke about her experience of working on two recent public commissions: THE END, for the Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar Square (2020-22), and RUPTURE NO 1: blowtorching the bitten peach, commissioned for the Tate Britain Duveen Galleries in 2021.
The recording of this event will be available soon.
Watch recording and find out more
Alice Channer, Planetary System (Kolzer DGK63″), 2019
Live discussion Wednesday 26 May 2021, 6pm
Join artists Alice Channer, Zachary Eastwood-Bloom and Daniel Steegman Mangrané for a live round table discussion about the use of new and emerging technologies in sculptural production. The speakers will give presentations exploring the use of new technologies in their own sculptural practice, which will be followed by discussion and questions from the audience.
Work-in-progress, credit: Mark Blease, courtesy of the artist
Live in-conversation Wednesday 23 June 2021, 6pm
Nicola Ellis will discuss the works she has produced as part of Return to Ritherdon, a project based on a two-year artist placement at Ritherdon & Co Ltd, a manufacturer of steel enclosures based in Darwen, Lancashire.
Whatch recording and find out more
Hyundai Commission Kara Walker – Fons Americanus. Tate Modern. Made by millimetre, photo credit Glasshopper
Live in-conversation Wednesday 14 July 2021, 6pm
Ivan Clarke and Petra Schmidt will discuss their work on Kara Walker’s Fons Americanus, the 2019 Hyundai Turbine Hall Commission at Tate Modern, highlighting practices of sustainability in fabrication.
A sculpture yard filled with copies of Greek and Roman sculptures, together with contemporary people and objects. Engraving by William Hogarth, 1753; Image courtesy Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
27-28 July 2021
Keynote Speakers: Dr Greg Sullivan (University of York/ St Paul’s Cathedral) and Dr Rebecca Wade (independent)
The indeterminate position of sculpture within the arts is a malleable concept which continues to challenge researchers. Categorisations such as art, craft, or industry contrive barriers between sculptural production, which separate works from each other, whilst disavowing the cross-fertilisations between sculptors, makers and artisans involved in the formal and aesthetic practices of art production. The conference Valuing Sculpture: Contemporary Perspectives on Art, Craft and Industry 1660-1860 will refocus attention on how links have been consistently made between media and making processes to categorise and subsequently value sculpture. The conference is organised by Sammi Scott and Charlotte Davis (University of York), Caitlin Scott (University of Sheffield), and Hannah Kaspar (University of Leeds) in collaboration with the Henry Moore Institute.
