Stone Talk
by Athar Jaber | 25 June 2023
Quote
“The essence of sculpture is for me the perception of space, the continuum of our existence.”
– Isamu Noguchi
Good news from below the sea
Amidst the recent somber reports from beneath the waves, here’s some good news emerging from the ocean’s depths:
In 2004, sculptor Jason deCairesTaylor created the world’s first underwater gallery. To divert divers from delicate coral reefs, he submerged life-sized cement sculptures in the Caribbean Sea. Soon, the art became adorned with vibrant purple and blue sponges, orange fire coral, and green algae, even attracting octopuses. In this podcast, Jason reflects on the project after nineteen years. Don’t forget to visit Jason’s website for captivating images documenting the sculptures’ underwater transformation.
Article worth reading
Why artists shouldn’t fear AI. AI art has gone from science fiction to reality in a short time. Artists are torn about how to respond with some fearing and protesting this new tech and others embracing it. Should we be worried? Writer Kirby Ferguson says AI will never surpass human artists, for one specific reason.
Free Yale lectures
Some years ago, I was hooked on this Yale course on Roman Architecture by the amazing Diane Kleiner. Her 24 lectures thoroughly discuss the great buildings and engineering marvels of Rome and its empire. The emphasis is on urban planning and individual monuments and their decoration, including mural painting and sculpture. The best part is that Yale made all the lectures freely available to everyone!
Archeology
Since we’re already talking Roman architecture. An exciting news has arrived from the Eternal City: one of the most pivotal locations in Roman history, the site of the assassination of Julius Caesar, has just opened to tourists. Read all about it here.
Q&A
Do you have specific question around sculpture and stone carving? Submit your question here below and I’ll do my best to answer it in one of the next Stone Talk Newsletters.
I hope you enjoyed these points and that you learned something new.
Until next week,
Athar
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