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ATKINSON GALLERY
PRESS RELEASE ANTHONY CARO: A SCULPTOR’S DEVELOPMENT We are delighted to welcome Sir Anthony Caro to the Atkinson Gallery. The exhibition entitled A Sculptor’s Development traces the development of Britain’s foremost sculptor and examines his working techniques. Sir Anthony Caro OM earned a reputation as a great innovator in the field of sculpture, coming to prominence in the 1960s with his welded metal sculptures. He concurrently helped Frank Martin, Head of Sculpture at St Martin’s School of Art, London to create an innovative department where he taught artists that established a strong presence in the public eye. Some followed his thinking and many diverged into their own fields. Phillip King, now President of the Royal Academy of Arts, and Richard Long were among their number. Having sustained his distinguished career for well over fifty years, Anthony Caro is better known overseas than in regional Britain. Caro was first feted in America, where he embraced American Abstract Expressionism and the sculpture of David Smith. In his early work he took sculpture off the pedestal and rooted it firmly on the ground. Welding steel girders and recycled steel, painting or allowing it to rust, Caro gradually built a new vocabulary for sculpture. He has worked in many mediums – steel, bronze, paper, clay, silver, wood – and in his mature years has tackled monumental and classical subject-matter on an impressive scale. His Trojan War series and the 25 pieces of The Last Judgement are fine examples. The Atkinson Gallery and Anthony Caro are united in one firm belief, that is the belief that art is one of the most important areas of education. The gallery was opened in 1992 for the specific purpose of education. Our main objective is to provide students, and the wider community, with the chance to view contemporary art in its widest form. We hope that previous exhibitions such as Cross Currents from South Africa, British Sculpture in the 20th Century and Contemporary Stone Sculpture from Zimbabwe will have done much to cultivate and enlighten our community. We are delighted to host such a well-established artist who has contributed greatly to the education of art. Our thanks to Ann Elliott and Sculpture Exhibitions Limited for allowing us to take advantage of their curatorial skills and connections with Anthony Caro. Working with Ann Elliott has been a great experience and I am grateful for her considerable help in bringing the exhibition to the Atkinson Gallery at Millfield. The Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, is situated in Street, 15 miles from the M5. Take Exit 23 to Street. Travelling from the A303, it is located 10 miles from the Podimore Roundabout exit of the A303. Atkinson Gallery Webcam:193.193.49.5 For further information, contact Len Green,
Director of Art Email: lag@millfield.somerset.sch.uk
PRESS RELEASE A major educational project, this exhibition and a series of workshops trace the development of Britain’s most senior sculptor and examine his working techniques. Sir Anthony Caro OM earned a reputation as a great innovator in the field of sculpture, coming to prominence in the 1960s with his welded metal sculptures. He concurrently helped Frank Martin, Head of Sculpture at St Martin’s School of Art, London, to create an innovative department, where he taught artists that established a strong presence in the public eye. Some followed his thinking and many diverted into their own fields. Phillip King, now President of the Royal Academy of Arts, and Richard Long were among their number. Having sustained his distinguished career for well over fifty years, Anthony Caro is better known overseas than in regional Britain. In bringing his work to the provinces, the core team that brought Rodin’s The Kiss back to Lewes hope to redress that balance. Caro was first feted in America, where he embraced American Abstract Expressionism and the sculpture of David Smith. In his early work he took sculpture off the pedestal and rooted it firmly on the ground. Welding together steel girders and recycled steel, painting or allowing it to rust, Caro gradually built a new vocabulary for sculpture. He has worked in many mediums – steel, bronze, paper, clay, silver, wood – and in his mature years has tackled monumental and classical subject-matter on an impressive scale. His Trojan War series and the 25 pieces of The Last Judgement are fine examples. Caro has recently worked in collaboration with others – architects and engineers – in explorations of scale, making sculptural forms akin to architecture, where the viewer can experience sculpture from the inside as well as viewing the exterior. Endlessly inventive, he continues to surprise and delight. A Sculptor’s Development: Anthony Caro is organised by Sculpture Exhibitions Limited, a company established by Ann Elliott and Paul Myles in 2000. Elliott and Myles aim to enhance the cultural and educational environment through the creation and organisation of projects, including exhibitions that promote modern and contemporary sculpture of the highest quality. The exhibition has received support from South East Arts, the Henry Moore Foundation, Lewes District Council, Lewes Town Council and private sponsors. For further information, please contact:
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