The Society of Portrait Sculptors' 51st Annual Exhibition - FACE 2014

 by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

Earlier this week, The Society of Portrait Sculptors unveiled their 51^st Annual Exhibition.

Fondly known as FACE 2014, the show features recent works by 55 contemporary sculptors. Some of these exhibitors are society members; others were selected from open submissions originating as far afield as America, Australia, China, continental Europe, Mongolia and Scandinavia.

Photo by Bayasgalan Batmagnai.

Held at the SladmoreContemporary, London’s leading contemporary sculpture gallery, speeches were delivered by society president Etienne Millner and Professor David Ekserdjian. Millner was quick to pinpoint FACE 2014’s purpose as: ‘to make portrait sculpture more accessible and to highlight its strengths as a means of conveying likeness’.  

With six notable works by young sculptors it really does seem that there is an increasing interest in portraiture. This is an art form that Millner affirms ‘has emerged unscathed from the arid years of abstraction and conceptual art’.

Etienne Millner sculpting Vice Admiral Sir Donald Gosling KCVO. Bronze. Photo by Angelo Plantamura and provided by the artist.

Millner is a sculptor of remarkable distinction. He championed figurativism even when it was ‘largely rejected in favour of abstraction’ and his works can be found in numerous public and private collections. These include: the National Portrait Gallery; Harris Manchester College, Oxford; Wellington College; Goodwood House; Weston Foundation; Longford Castle; Daily Mail; London Borough of Ealing and The Museum of The Negev, Israel.

It is therefore unsurprising that patrons regularly consult Millner and his associates when commissioning sculptures. So, to exhibit at The Society of Portrait Sculptors’ Annual Exhibition, unique in theme and prestige, provides select sculptors with an opportunity to demonstrate their skill such that they might be put forward for large-scale monumental projects as well as private ones.

Then there are the prizes.

Louisa Forbes with her relief sculpture Mother and Child. Lead. Photo by James Larcombe.

Louisa Forbes has two works included in the show. It was for her ‘self-explanatory’ Mother and Child that she was awarded the Olin Stones Prize for relief sculpture. Identifiable by her loose yet delicate modelling, Louisa is drawn to classical subjects and consciously references religion and mythology in her works. Her other sculpture, The Pythia, a smaller than life-size bronze head, was inspired by William Golding’s The Double Tongue.

This year, for the second time, Domenica de Ferranti won the Tiranti Prize. Domenica’s career has gone from strength to strength since she first received the prize in 2009. Working from her south London studio, Domenica’s current challenge is to figure out how she might best transport a life-size bronze commission to its patrons in South Africa!

Canoe by Domenica de Ferranti. Plaster, to be cast in bronze. Photo provided by the artist.

However, it was Domenica’s outstanding plaster portrait, Rob, which caused a stir on Monday. Her rhythmic handling of simplistic forms is truly remarkable. Interestingly, the project had an ominous start… Domenica’s sitter nearly left after she told him that what she ‘really liked was the “wonkiness” of his face’. Fortunately for us he stayed!

Rob by Domenica de Ferranti. Plaster. Photo provided by the artist.

Like Domenica, Giles Lester received a classical artistic training in Florence. Judged to be this year’s best newcomer, Giles was awarded the The Talos Award for Olwen. Sculpted with sensitivity far beyond his years, Giles describes this portrait as an ‘impression’ of his mother who remained ‘patient and generous with sittings’ over the busy Christmas period.

Richard Atkinson-Wiles, Giles Lester and his sculpture Olwen. Plaster study. Photo by James Larcombe.

It was under the instruction of Robert Bodem, at The Florence Academy of Art (FAA), that Giles met his close friend and model for his second exhibited work, Valentina Zlatarova. Observant viewers at the exhibition will have noticed a quiet dialogue playing out between this sculpture and Valentina’s own portrait of Giles.

Valentina by Giles Lester. Plaster study. Photo provided by the artist.

Incidentally, Valentina’s works have also been recognised. She received the Tiranti Prize in 2008 and 2011 as well as the Founders’ Prize in 2009.  This year, the haunting, brooding melancholy of her portrait Giles stopped many viewers in their tracks.

Giles by Valentina Zlatarova. Plaster version on display. Photo provided by the artist.

Born and raised in Bulgaria, Valentina experienced a burst of patriotism during Professor David Ekserdjian’s speech. Reminding us that great art continues to speak to a viewer, he recounted an anecdote about the recently discovered bronze head of the Thracian King Seuthes III in Bulgaria. Ekserdjian had received a photograph on his phone from a fellow Professor, who in turn received it from his editor. The message accompanying the photograph was simple - ‘You need this.’

Ekesdjian was then in the process of curating Bronze at the Royal Academy and knew his friend was right. Ekesdjian exhibited it. As a great believer in discussing and debating projects with peers, Ekserdjian used this to communicate the advantage of not being overly ‘sensitive’ to sharing ideas.

Perhaps taking heed, Ian Rank-Broadley told me a little about his awe-inspiring exhibit Napoleon. It is a study for what may become a life-size equestrian statue of Napoleon Bonaparte! In the pursuit of truth, Ian has spent substantial time at Chatsworth house studying Antonio Canova’s Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon by Ian Rank-Broadley. Bronze. Photo provided by the artist.

Ian is ideal for this commission; the male figure has been the dominant theme of his work for the entirety of his professional career.  Early on, he realised that ‘the female nude had, to a large extent, been robbed of its power by the commercial world of advertising, whereas the male nude still retained a power that could excite, grab attention and shock.’

However, it would be wrong to only recount the projects of FACE 2014’s exhibitors. I was fortunate enough to meet many interesting people, including Arthur Millner. Although an auctioneer by profession, Millner has been ‘experimenting with glazes’ in his studio in Shopshire. This reminded me of a recent conversation I had with the painter Nelson White. Nelson admitted that he tends to think well of art market professionals that also practice art! Such tangible self-expression is a universal language.  

Tristan MacDougall has also been exploring ceramics, having been inspired by sculptures with glazes that produce ‘stunning effects’. However, he is wary that too much polish can disguise form and so finishes his fired earthenware with a combination wax and a light polish ‘to pick out high points’. His success manifests in the brow and cheekbones of his exhibited portrait Sakura.  

Sakura by Tristan MacDougall. Fired earthenware. Photo provided by the artist.

Sakura is based upon Tristan’s eight-year-old daughter. Although Tristan’s children are ‘competitive about being models’, neither enjoy the reality of sitting for a portrait. As such, Tristan found himself referring to photographs whilst committing Sakura’s face to memory whenever she was eating, sleeping, watching television and so on!

At the root of Tristan’s work is ‘a deep respect and love for the tradition of classical sculpture’. Driven by the desire to ‘push his craft to higher standards’ he is discovering the possibilities of working in relief.

Icarus by Tristan MacDougall. Fired earthenware. Photo provided by the artist.

Robert Hunt also has a ‘special interest’ in relief sculpture. On display were portraits of his great-nieces Hope and Alma. Working from his studio in Winchester with photographs, Hunt strives to ‘trick the eye’.  

Hope Bradby by Robert Hunt. Exhibited in Bronze. Photo provided by the artist.

FACE 2014 was a chance for me to see works by fellow FAA alumni. And, though I have striven not to be biased, I must tell you about my favourite work on display. 

Maddox, by Bayasgalan Batmagnai is a portrait of Derrick Maddox - a good friend and fellow sculptor. What really overwhelms me about Bayasa’s work is his ability to gracefully amplify an entirely revealing fleeting expression. In Maddox, Bayasa captures his sitter in a moment of contemplation – but incorporating Derrick’s signature beanie hat acts to humanise the work.

Maddox and The Last Seeing by Bayasgalan Batmagnai. Bronze. Photo by the artist.

When in contact with clay, Bayasa feels his hands become a living tool. For Baysa, the very act of sculpting can carry ‘an overwhelming feeling of elation and pure happiness ’ as well as the inevitable frustration when faced with ‘obstacles related to continuous learning’ and the need to understand his subject.

The Last Seeing by Bayasgalan Batmagnai. Bronze. Photo by the artist.

I am certain that these sentiments ring true for all artists. Recently, Giles sent me an extract from a letter written by the sculptor Umberto Boccioni in 1912. Reading Boccioni’s description of his own experience transported me to the memory of a figure that I had struggled with for weeks on end. Yet, I also found solace in Boccioni’s words. Recognising these sentiments again echoed by Bayasa has encouraged me to share them with you:

‘I work much but seem to conclude nothing… Today I have worked six consecutive hours on sculpture and I do not understand the result… Planes upon planes, sections of the muscles and of the face and then? And what about the total effect? Does what I create live? Where is it going to finish? Can I ask enthusiasm and comprehension from others when I myself wonder about the emotion which springs from what I am doing.’

Photo by James Larcombe. 

As an aspiring art historian, FACE 2014 reassured me that the future of portraiture is in safe hands. Together, the exhibitors are pushing boundaries yet maintaining traditional techniques. 

Self Portrait by Gilbert Whyman. Welded steel. Photo provided by The Society of Portrait Sculptors.

And, as an aspiring sculptor, FACE 2014 provided me with endless inspiration. With the end of the academic year just weeks away, I am so looking forward to putting into practice the advice I have received when talking with artists. (Just two exams to go!)

Northeast Girl by Professor Li Xiang-Qun. Resin. Photo provided by The Society of Portrait Sculptors. 

From Life or not From Life… that is the question.

 
by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

Florence is magical. Call me biased, but I would argue that its artistic community is too.

Just last week I was wandering along the Arno when I bumped into my good friend Timothy McGuire. He was putting the finishing touches to a small oil painting following his first day of teaching a plein air course with fellow artist Joseph Altwer.

Timothy McGuire painting the Ponte Santa Trinita

Joe had set himself up on the opposite side of the Ponte Santa Trinita and, with teaching finished for the day, he was all set to develop his own demonstration piece. Well, then I interrupted. Rather than offer a gruff greeting and turn back to his work, Joe handed me a series of brushes and invited me to join in. Poor chap must have assumed I’d trained in painting rather than sculpture! Undeterred, I spent a magical afternoon sabotaging my half of the board whilst chatting with Joe.    

With Joe Altwer, painting the Ponte Santa Trinita

Later that evening, I was delighted to relay this unexpected event as I proudly presented the painting to my friend Amanda Granberg. And that was the end of that.

Or, at least it could have been. Instead, I found myself questioning what motives painters to paint from life. After all, their product is two-dimensional – why not simply refer to a photograph? Luckily, my jaunt to Florence held a professional purpose: to record a series of interviews with artists. Perhaps they could provide answers!

My first interview was with Nelson White. Born in 1932, Nelson is a third generation painter who trained under the esteemed artists Nerina Simi and Pietro Annigoni. 

 Nelson White for digiQualia

It was therefore unsurprising that, when questioned about painting from life, Nelson’s response held echoes of Simi and Annigoni’s teachings. Simi's father studied under Jean-Léon Gérôme. It was to Gérôme that Nelson referred to when expressing that, potentially, one can paint well from photographs. However, Nelson was also quick to add that Gérôme was experienced in a way that many artists today are not.

Nelson continued on to share his belief that painting from photographs can strip a subject of its emotion. That inevitably, when an artist trained to work from life turns to photography his work will worsen. It seems that this sentiment was shared by Annigoni who spoke of the camera as a barrier. A barrier which would prevent the artist from receiving a direct impression to interpret. 

Bagno La Salute by Nelson White, 2013

However, Maureen Hyde, a principle instructor in the Intensive Drawing Program at The Florence Academy of Art (FAA) pointed out that there are instances when taking photographs is necessary. As I probed further Maureen warned that I was entering dangerous territory. That this is a much debated, ‘big and long topic’. That there is no right or wrong and she could only offer her own understanding. 

With Maureen Hyde for digiQualia

In Maureen’s experience, patrons are not always available to sit for the crucial hours needed to produce a high-quality portrait. It is in these moments that Maureen will take a series of photographs and make some sketches. However, it is to these sketches that she prefers to refer. For, working from life is her ‘ideal, it is when the magic happens.’ Over time Maureen is able to extract enough information to render both depth and profundity. Compared to this, a photograph is no more than a moment of existence to Maureen. 

The Fiddler II by Maureen Hyde, 2010

I also interviewed Robert Bodem, the FAA’s Principle Sculptor Instructor. Although not a painter, Rob certainly has an opinion to share! ‘Those who have too strong views on the matter will do bad work from both.’

La Marionetta by Robert Bodem, 2007

Rob went on to explain that working from both life and from photographs facilitates good results should the artist know how to achieve them. Then, Rob drew a parallel that I had not considered before. When a model is posed in a controlled environment, and an artist records this using sight-size, it is similar to looking at a photograph in the studio. While there may be more to capture when working from life, it does not inevitably mean that the artist is honestly representing life.

So, like Maureen, Rob considers photography as an aid rather than a means to an end. But an aid limited to tell the artist only what he does not already know. 

With Robert Bodem for digiQualia

Rob could not name many professional sculptors who work exclusively from photographs. Although on occasion he has been known to use callipers, Rob prefers to rely on intuition while working from life. Just look at Feline… the languid pose was inspired by the live model stretching out whilst on a break!

Feline by Robert Bodem, 2014

The remaining interviews I conducted are part of an ongoing digiQualia project following four young artists from The Alpine Fellowship. The brainchild of Alan Lawson, this brings together figurative painters and philosophers. Inaugurated last year in the Swiss Alps, last year’s focus was to question ‘the way in which the painter works, and lives, and how the world is revealed’.

The first two of these interviews were a particularly bizarre experience. By chance, it meant questioning my previous flatmate Benjamin Arnold and his girlfriend Jennifer Keltos. Just last year they were helping me find my feet in Florence and I had come back to grill them! 

Benjamin Arnold in his studio for digiQualia

Like Rob, Ben feels uneasy when artists champion ‘fundamental beliefs’. As a young man, with '50 good years of painting ahead', Ben asked why shouldn’t he consider photography his friend? Doing so does not mean turning his back on working from life. It does not mean forgetting all that he has learnt over the last three years at the FAA. Instead, Ben believes that programs such as Photoshop may open up exciting possibilities for representational artists.  

With Jennifer Keltos for digiQualia

Similarly Jen prefers to work from life but reflects that different art suits different techniques. Through the work of her three favourite artists, Andrew Wyeth, Alphonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt, she explained why this is so. Wyeth’s work explores life – so why should he not work from life? She interprets the paintings of Mucha and Klimt as imagined, that is conceived in the mind rather than grounded in reality. Perhaps these artists found photography useful when translating their idea to a tangible image. Perhaps, one day, she may too.

Lavey-Village by Jennifer Keltos, 2013

Though to tell Jamie Coreth to paint from a photograph is to deprive Rudolph of his red nose. When working from life, Jamie is assaulted by a range of visual stimuli that he feels neither words nor a photograph can capture. The changing light and atmospheric conditions, his own feelings and subconscious combine to create an expression based on solely on experience. 

Portrait of Jim Penfold by Jamie Coreth, 2012

When charged with copying a photograph his involvement is lost. Jamie argues that one becomes 'confined to a set of shapes and colours'. He is left with the challenge of making a photograph appear as if it is not what it is. The fun disappears.   

Painting of Lucy by Jamie Coreth, 2014

Last but not least was my interview with Amy Moseley. For Amy, music is of paramount importance. She explained that if one is given only two notes and asked to compose a score, that score has far less possibilities than if one is given a complete scale, or superior still, the full range. Through this metaphor Amy argues that, by painting from a photograph, one’s work can only ever be as good as that photograph, it cannot surpass it.

Amy then recalled the advice of Oscar Wilde - that to observe the subject over a long period of time allows one to see the sitter in all their beauty and ugliness before deciding what to portray. Thus, by painting from life Amy feels that she is able to ‘harness much more life.’

Giovanna by Amy Moseley, 2013

All too soon the interviews were over. So I turned to the camera for one final opinion. Well, to the man behind it. Like the majority of our interviewees, Basilio De San Juan Guerrero trained at the FAA. However, his method of observation is a little less conservative. For the painting below of Teresa Oaxaca they spent the best part of a week together establishing an understanding and rapport. Throughout this process Basilio constantly took photographs – searching for one where Teresa was entirely unguarded. Only then, armed with this and his memory did he begin painting.  

Augury by Basilio De San Juan Guerrero, 2012 

By listening to these artists it has become apparent to me that, as with sculpture, painting from life offers more possibilities than from a photograph. However, art is entirely subjective. There can never be right or wrong, good or bad art. At least not in today’s world where we struggle to even define the term. Beauty is as much in the eye of the beholder as the hand that brandishes the brush.