(February 2012)

It was probably a long and stony path as might be assumed. Originally stemming from a distant farmyard near the Swiss-German boarder as one of 11 children. His first goal was to master a handicraft trade: and so he took on as a stonemason’s apprentice, was soon recognized as a quick and nimble worker and graduated as master of the trade in Cathedral stonemasonry in his mid twenties in southern Germany. This was, as it seemed, the end of the career line.

But he had simultaneously attended courses at an art academy where, during the work toward his masters’ diploma – a well-meaning teacher gave him a new orientation: „You must study; you’re out of place as a stone mason.“

Since Altenburger had anticipated moving away from southern Germany anyway, he applied at the art academy of Bremen in northern Germany. He was accepted via the special program for especially gifted students.

After 4 years he seemed to have reached the end of the career road once again. But instead of taking his exams he took on for another two years on a European Union scholarship and began to study at the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland. He was fascinated by the sculptors’ scene in Great Britain and by the way artists handled stone.

He subsequently took his exams in Bremen and finally graduated as a master of art at Chelsea College in London.

Today he profits from the knowledge he gathered as a stone mason as he emphasises. But he does not only use stone for his projects. For some time now he has been interested in working with a combination of material with contrasting properties, e.g. with hard stone and rubber.

He also likes to experiment with surface design: often he has coated white Estremoz-marble from Portugal with red acrylic paint, e.g. in „Close up on pattern“.

Altenburger is a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Ekkehard Altenburger

Photos: Ekkehard Altenburger

(January 2012)

But the project has a history.

A limestone cliff in the county of Yorkshire was home to an ancient mill propelled by a stream running along the cliffs foot. The cliff formed the back wall of the mill. The four-story building found a – shall we say: eccentric – new owner a few years ago who fell in love with the old building and invested a lot of money and time in modernising it.

During the course of refurbishment the stone wall in the newly created swimming pool room was supposed to be smoothed and straightened, when the mill’s owner suddenly stopped the work; the mighty spur, which should have been levelled, reminded him of an elephant. He decided that the mill should be it’s permanent home.

And that’s how things remained for some time. There was, after all, no-one available to coax the elephant out of it’s hiding place in the rock.

Citizens of Yorkshire began to talk and finally stonemason Oliver Hurst was at the centre of discussions. He drew a few lines on the spur („Later the concept was changed completely“, recounts Hurst) and that was enough for the landlord. After all, Hurst also saw the elephant hidden in the rock.

And so the artist began his work. The main challenge was not the details of the shape, as one might think, but rather working the stone on site in its natural state. „Extremely hard layers lay side by side very soft, porous strata“, says Hurst, „I had to take great care with every blow of the hammer.“

The work took 12 months to complete during the course of which Hurst says „I often considered how to patch small glitches with resin in case of an accident“, he admits. But: „all went well.“

Unfortunately the landlord passed away in the meantime. The family gave the go-ahead to complete the project – not least as a sign of respect for the deceased. But the baby elephant, which the artist also saw in the rock, was not realized.

Hurst had a plaque mounted: „Vir Magnus in Memoriam“ it reads, or translated: „in memory of a great man“ signed by Hurst in sandstone. The tusks are made of fibreglass.

Oliver Hurst

Photos: Oliver Hurst

(December 2011)

The book describes the story of the stone-producing region. As early as in Roman times, artists were aware of the advantages of marble, which later gained global fame through the works of Michelangelo. Contributions by stone experts also give detailed accounts of technical aspects like transportation of blocks weighing many tons by sled or ox-driven carriage.

A term particular to the region, „marble-artist-craftsman-industry“ is recounted and tells of the unique properties of the branch, distinguishing it world-wide: starting with a remarkable material, a high degree of know-how for processing, implementation of state of the art technology and an open mind for new ideas brought forth by international artists bringing commissions to the studios.

The book is published by the Arkad Foundation. Founded in 2002 by Cynthia Sah and Nicolas Bertoux in reclaimed stone factory in Seravezza at the foot of the mountain, the organization’s aim is the promotion of art of sculpting.

Too bad the book is currently published only in Italian. But the publisher is currently looking for sponsorship for a translation to English. Contact the publisher by mail. Sponsor for the Italian edition was, among others, the Henraux Company.

„Astratto Monumentale. Scultura Contemperanea in Marmo“. Fondazione Arkad. Edizione Gli Ori, Pistoia. 288 p. ISBN 978-887336-417-7.

(November 2011)

Marion Rivière studied biology but already during her studies began sculpting from colleagues who posed as models. A newspaper quotes the artist: „I can’t express myself but when I started to work in stone, my sculptures came alive. “

She went to Carrara to complete a course on sculpting in stone, and remained there for the next 9 years where she worked in various ateliers. Some of her motives show people under the motto: „L’homme cet animal“ („Man the animal“).

Two years ago she settled in Capcir a plateau at the edge of the Pyrinees endearingly referred to as little-Canada or little-Siberia. For the artist in her mid-thirties this was a circle coming full turn: this is where she spent her vacations as a child at her grandmother’s farm.

Marion Rivière 

Photos: Marion Rivière

(October 2011)

American Marc Carroll is in contrast remarkably sober. It starts with his desire to merely give his onyx sculptures a platform „The beauty of the stone from Arizona itself tends to become the subject matter, and form is secondary“. His sobriety continues in the fact that he is enthusiastic about mathematics „I like the perfection of geometric forms“ all the way to the clients’ venue in the case of contracted sculptures where the artist delivers and gives helpful tips for installation and maintenance.

Carroll’s parents were also artists, his father sculpting figures for the Church and his mother painting landscapes. He studied art and acting while working as a freelance artist on the side. Another step on Carroll’s career ladder was his work for the museum of science where he reconstructed a pre-historic Archaeopteryx using fossil fragments. He also worked in the toy industry crafting and designing models.

Carroll’s artistic development was influenced by two long-distance hikes along the Appalachian Trail which joins the peaks of the Appalachian Mountains through 14 States from Maine to Georgia on East Coast USA. So-called „thru-hikers“ negotiate the 3,500 km Trail in one stretch in about 5 month – as did Carroll.

The experience influenced his perspective of forms and material, he says. If one observes how nature handles wind water and stone, one gains insight into how art should be processed.

He later moved to Arizona where he established his sculpting atelier and can look back on some 30 years of work as an art teacher.

Even though he is free of dogma he never the less perches that an artist should remain „true to material“ to freely quote Henry Moore. „Keep stone looking like stone, with all its unique characteristics“, he writes.

The Sculpture Studio

Appalachian Trail

Photos: The Sculpture Studio

(July 2011)

Only the time allotted for completion of the project bearing the title „Caldia Cube“ was fixed: 2 months for the ideas to be conceived and born and 1 month for construction by the company.

So far, so good. The trick was to interest participants. Their endeavour was successful: designers were Karim Rashid (USA), Leonard Theosabrata (Indonesia) und Francesco Lucchese (Italy), participating artists were Michele Chiossi (Italy), Kurt Hofstetter (Austria) and Giuseppe Silvestri (Italy), and the architect trio was comprised of Davide Macullo (Switzerland), and Alessia Garibaldi and Giorgio Piliego both from Italy. Together they conceived and completed the objects.

Each was completed in a limited edition of 5 pieces. They toured and will tour through many countries: In April they made an appearance at the Fuori Salone in Milan and in June at the Design Festival DMY in Berlin. In September the pieces can be viewed at the Verona Marmomacc, in October at the London Stone Theatre, and in November in Paris.

A catalogue (German and English) will be published by Wolf Günter in his trade journal „fair. Zeitung für Kunst und Ästhetik“ .

Caldia Cube  (Mail)

Marmi e Graniti d’Italia Sicilmarmi

Photos: Marmi e Graniti d’Italia Sicilmarmi

(July 2011)

A total of 15,000 € was in the purse.

Peter Parler (approx. 1330-1399 A.D.), after whom the bi-annual prize is named, was one of the most important master-designers of pre-renaissance cathedral construction. Prague’s Charles Bridge and St. Vitus Cathedral both stem from his drawing board.

Photos: Bundesverband Deutscher Steinmetze

(July 2011)

His world-famous figures can be admired in the Naumburg Cathedral. They are part of the Unesco World Cultural Heritage. One depicts Uta Margrave of Naumburg, one of the Cathedral’s founders. Perhaps it was the artist’s will to capture the character of this Sunday-child: born of rich parents, always well-to-do, never hungry or seriously ill, dismayed at the worries to which others had succumbed, and, as a result, somewhat aloof as she clutches her veil to her cheek.

The artist never knew Uta, who had passed away some two centuries prior to his calling. Perhaps he crafted the sculpture according to drawings and with a generous dollop of creativity and imagination as a movie director would have captured a character for a meaningful scene: the actor chosen for an important role seem to be brimming with emotion.

The zeitgeist brought a novel component to arts and crafts. Endeavours to reproduce models in their natural beauty and form is mirrored in botanic motifs. First implemented in the French court, this style quickly spread all across Europe via cathedrals now built to dizzying heights.

Each of the coloured figures is chiselled from a single block of Freyburg-muschelkalk – a Schell bearing limestone used to construct most of the cathedral. The stone stems from quarries approximately 10 km from Naumburg. Our pictures show margraves Uta and Ekkehard as well as Reginaldis and Hermann – 4 of the 12 statues adorning the cathedral.

The exhibit presents more than 300 works of art by artists, sculptors and masons as well stained glass works and chosen pieces of calligraphy. Particular emphasis is placed on sculptures form the cathedral in Reims, which inspired our Naumburg master.

Incidentally, not far from Naumburg lies the city of Meissen, a capital of hand painted porcelain and Görlitz in Saxony, currently showing an exhibit on the Via Regia – the ancient commercial trail tying the Netherlands to Poland.

Why did we speculate that our Naumburg master might have been a movie director, had he lived today? His figure of Uta reminded us of a scene from Gilda by Charles Vidor (1946) in which Rita Hayworth – already a superstar. It was her first big cinematographic role and captured her (1. 2) as femme fatale in a single scene.

Exhibit „Der Naumburger Meister“ („Master of Naumburg“)

(June 2011)

Not only the artist concedes that the title is not necessarily reflected in the works particularly not in the 8 m high and 20 t massive larger of the two. The artist writes that one might picture „the force and vigour of a wave or swell in the work“ convincing arguments for the commissioner, the Crédit Agricole with its headquarters in Saint-Brieuc-Ploufragan.

He found a raw block with suitable size and properties at Granitos de Maceira in Portugal. It took the French stone-masons’ team six months working the block into the proper shape to bring out the sculpture and lend movement to the lines as well as to incorporate surface details for light effects.

A highlight are the glass „crystals“ which André worked into the tip of the gargantuan sculpture: given the right angle, the sun’s rays turn the monument into veritable beacon.

The work stands on a concrete base whose surface is covered in stone slabs reminiscent of calm seas.

Precursor to the work was a piece conceived by the artist for the municipality of Saint-Symphorien-sous-Hédé in close proximity. It is a monument dedicated to world peace and measures a mere 4 m in height. The material implemented also was supplied by Granitos of Maceira.

Let us turn for a moment to the artist’s curriculum: he started his career as a body-maker for Renault and went on to learn stone masonry working in various quarries. In 1977 he took the leap and began working full-time as an artist.

His material of choice is granite. He also engages actively in adult education in stone.

Philippe André (French)

Granitos de Maceira

Photos: Philippe André

(April 2011)

Take, for example, Queen Mary’s famous Queen’s Dolls’ House, richly stocked with marble elements, designed by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the style of a royal residence and assembled by some of the finest craftsmen and artist of the time between 1921 and 1924.

This miniature masterpiece of craftsmanship was never conceived as a toy but rather to convey an impression of the style of British aristocracy’s living conditions on a scale of 1′ to 1″. Some of the more remarkable details include a 1.52 m-high and 4.5 t wine cellar complete with miniature wine bottles or the kitchen with a mouse in a mouse-traps under the wakeful gaze of a ceramic cat, not to mention the fully functional elevators and flushing WC’s.

The flooring, stairwell, and walls of the lounge are crafted from the finest black and white marble. The King’s bathroom is also bestowed with fine stonework.

„The Queen’s Dolls’ House“, Lucinda Lambton, Royal Collection Publications, 12,95 £, ISBN 978-1-905686-26-1 is a recent rendition of the work.

A number of lovely books have been published on the subject of Westminster Abbey, founded in 960 A.D., where the Royal Wedding will take place. Those of our readers fortunate enough to be invited to the nuptial ceremony should not miss visiting Chapter House, famous for its double doorway with a large tympanum above. Simple architectural means create special spatial effects. The building was recently renovated.

The stone abbey was built around 1045–1050 by King Edward the Confessor as part of his palace. Behind the high altar of the Chapel the legendary Stone of Scone, a thick sandstone slab often referred to as the Coronation Stone, captured by Edward I as spoil of war, the Stone was kept. It was taken to Westminster Abbey in 1297 and fitted into a wooden chair known as King Edward’s Chair, on which most subsequent English sovereigns have been crowned. The Stone was returned to Scotland in 1996 and has since been kept in Edinburgh Castle from whence it will be transported to London on short notice whenever a Coronation takes place. Today, the Stone symbolizes the unification of England and Scotland according to Wikipedia.

The Dolls’ House is exhibited in Windsor Castle.

Photos of the Dolls’ House

Westminster Abbey

Restoration of Chapter House

Stone of Scone