Sculpture Tutor Briony Marshall Appears in ITV News Report

The Academy’s sculpture tutor Briony Marshall talks about the importance of public art commissions as part of itv’s recent contribution on public post-war masterpieces in England.

The short report also provides interesting insights into how pieces of post-war public art have been perceived by local communities and transformed their environment.

This positive impact has been acknowledged by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which is why 41 sculptures are now given a listed status and therefore a ‘new lease of life’ (itv).

 

ALUMNUS PAOLO GIORDANELLA CREATES MALTA’S NEW AVIATION MONUMENT

Congratulations to Fine Art alumnus Paolo Giordanella, whose latest work “Paper Plane” was selected from a number of entries to commemorate 100 years of aviation in Malta.

The 6m high monument made from stainless steel and brass is located in Luqa, Malta, and was executed by Lampuki Arts. Choosing a paper plane as a visual reference is related to ‘man’s timeless fascination with the idea of flight’. As Paolo suggests, it also reminds us of the excitement of a school kid turning a sheet of paper into something capable of flying. It represents dreams, imagination, experimentation and determination (Malta Today, Dec 2015).

There were several challenges to face in the process of realizing this project including securing a deposit as well as being asked to realize this project as quickly as possible. According to Paolo, this required an excellent knowledge of the logistics and processes, as well as constant communication with the client and suppliers. In this regard, Paolo emphasizes that ‘artists and craftsmen should never undersell themselves’. He strongly recommends working with a skilled project manager (in his case his wife) and to always expect the unexpected.

Paolo regards his time at the Academy as vital for having become a successful sculptor:

‘Despite my years of industrial training as a silversmith, my career as a fine artist did not start until I signed up for the three-year Fine Art course with a focus on sculpture at the Academy in 2003. I still look back fondly to those early days of total immersion, grit and mucking into the world of art at the creators level. The Academy, together with its hand picked team of qualified practitioners (…) were quintessential in providing me with the understanding and skills necessary to distill my ideas and concepts into tangible and communicative works of Fine Art. The Academy gave me the foundation blocks to become not just a sculptor but someone who can seriously make a living from producing works of art.’

We are looking forward to see more from Paolo and Lampuki Arts in the future.