HI.
Well we managed to install the ‘Man of Stones’ at the Sainsbury Centre (UEA) last week. A nervy and exciting day, with a crane nearly lost in the mud..
Here is a short photo essay .. Images By Bill Jackson..
‘M -Tech’ the Art movers and installers turned up at the crack of dawn.
Man of Stones was teleported through the sculpture park, Tatlins tower and Norman Fosters great building look on!
A slow march. It seemed funerial at times!
The base had to be lowered into position first. This was to be dug into the earth .
Next the Man himself..
The first pilgrim!
Then a second. I saw her with my own eyes..not at all self conscious!
The surroundings are rather trampled.. the spring will see a new surge..
I am thrilled.. and apparently lots of people are stopping and taking photos..
Here he is a week earlier in the Exhibition at Messum’s Wiltshire…another incredible experience…its been quite a month.
Incredible space, acres long,
Love this shot… These photo’s are by Steve Russell.
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Very Sadly my Mentor the Sculptor and Master founder at the Royal College of Art
TISSA RANASINGHE
Died last weekend at age of 94, finally succumbing to Parkinsons.
He taught me the Italian lost wax casting method of casting, which he learnt from the Angeloni brothers who were brought to the RCA by Bernard Meadows. They were part of a communty of Italian casters who moved to London from Rome, bringing lost wax casting to this country, influencing a whole generation of British sculptors. Tissa mastered the foundry art and taught for many years in the ‘Sheds’ on Queensgate, when the RCA Sculpture schools were behind the Natural History Museum. He not only imparted us with the ‘knowledge’, he imbued us with a philosophy for life and made us keenly aware of our history.
He showed us how to ‘enjoy’ our work. The congratulatory bottle(s) of wine after bronze pours, fuelling the telling of the tales of his life which grew ever more elaborate, is a ritual we carry on to this day. The Donatello dinners, cooking in kilns and the openess by which everyone was welcome especially on pouring days, were great lessons in life. He created and welcomed us in to his casting ‘family’.
I would not have been able to live the life I lead without him, he was my casting father.
His funeral is at 2pm on the 19th of November, at Mortlake Cremetorium.
Here he is on a pouring day in the foundry at the RCA. In his element!! The foundry was sadly demolished a few years later.
We were privileged to cast the work of the great sculptors of the day, here I am in 1988 finishing a Paolozzi, a frequent visitor and friend of Tissa’a.
I’ll end on that… Cheers to you Tissa.
We’ll raise a glass after the pour tomorrow…5ish at Unit 19 if anyone wants to join us ….
x
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laurenceedwards 