Sculptors come in from the cold

SEVENTY people were due to attend Sunday’s Sculpture Network New Year’s Brunch at the Greenham Arts Centre, but the bad weather conditions reduced the number of guests to 40.
In the UK, France, Germany Spain, Poland, Egypt, the Netherlands and many other European nations, 40 different gatherings took place, assembling overall 2,000 sculptors, collectors, art critics, gallery and foundry owners, curators, architects, professors and art lovers in general.
Corn Exchange general manager James Gough welcomed all the participants and introduced the cultural programme at the Corn Exchange.
The host of the brunch, sculptor Johannes von Stumm read out a speech from Ralf Kirberg, the chairman of Sculpture Network and explained how important it was for artists to get, at least sometimes, out of their studios to meet like-minded people and to help each other in any possible way.
Initiatives like the Open Studio Scheme, the Royal British Society of Sculptors or the European organisation Sculpture Network were vital places for artists to further their career.
After these two introductions, 12 short lectures were presented by sculptors as well as one painter and a textile artist. Later, all the attendees mingled and discussed projects, forthcoming exhibitions, techniques and all matters of art before they bravely ventured out back home through the wintery landscape around Newbury.