For purists, art—and that includes sculpture—should bear the imprint of the hand that created it. They say it should not only be identifiably human, but traceable to a specific human.
Of course few of us can afford to be purists, either by preference or pocket. And the human connection to art raises as many questions as it provides answers. For example, is a kindergarten child’s first finger painting art, or merely random splodges of colour?
History has another story to tell. Remember that throughout the ages, the great masters, especially those working on a monumental scale, employed dozens, even hundreds of assistants and apprentices. Few if any received recognition for their work or their contributions. Many didn’t even receive payment. The credit and the glory went solely to the master.
Sculpture’s better grasp
Sculpture has a more concrete grasp on the subject, given its materiality and often-singular productions or very limited editions. How, though, does the sculptor claim ownership of a work of art that requires many hands, multiple skills, and resources beyond the reach of most individual artists?
The answer is deceptively simple. It comes from the very world that makes large-scale sculpture possible—manufacturing. Let’s take an obvious example: a car.
When you buy a Ford or a Rolls Royce you are unquestionably purchasing a recognisable, branded vehicle, of which you are no doubt proud. The truth is, your vehicle looks nothing like the sculpture on wheels Henry Ford or Charles Rolls and Henry Royce designed one hundred years ago and more.
Another example is literature. No one in their right mind credits the ideas, creativity, and language of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets to the printer who brings them to life on paper or on a screen.
And so it is with sculpture. For centuries, sculptors have relied on the knowledge and skills of artisans, foundries, stonemasons, and a score of other skilled crafts people to help realise their dreams.
Art fabricators and project managers
Today, although the names, materials, and technology have changed, the process and those who perform it remain remarkably similar. In some parts of the world, the person leading the sculpture production team goes by the name of an art fabricator. In other countries, they are more generally described as project managers. By either title, they are still a sculptor’s best friend when it comes to realising a large or complex piece of work.
In some ways, the art fabricator or project manager also resembles the coach of a modern sports team, or the leader of a symphony orchestra. For the players to perform at their peak, week in and week out, they need a selection of experts behind them. They include strength and conditioning specialists, exercise physiologists, skills trainers, and medical, psychological and dietary staff.
In the case of the orchestra, a complex management structure looks after the musicians’ welfare, health, transport, and technical performance.
The coach coordinates the players’ efforts so the individuals click together as a team, just as the conductor elicits harmony from the potentially dissonant voices of the different players and instruments.
No prejudice to artistic integrity
How do art fabricators and project managers work with sculptors to ensure the success of the enterprise without prejudicing the artists’ integrity? These are the main factors:
• Technical knowledge. Project managers live and die by their knowledge of the possible. They stay abreast of material science, engineering, metallurgy, and a host of other manufacturing skills to give the artist the benefit of their artisanship.
• Artistic interpretation: Specialist art project managers should have a solid background in design. Formal design training equips them to analyse the artwork’s aesthetics measured by design principles such as contrast, balance, structural emphasis, proportions, and hierarchy. They apply that understanding as a set of benchmarks to control the sculpture’s accurate reproduction or up-scaling to capture the artist’s original thinking and personal touch.
• Solution providers: Good project managers are intensely practical and process-driven. An experienced art project manager listens carefully. While you as the sculptor envision the design, they visualise everything else in an orderly fashion based on known and proven principles.
• Diverse skills: The better project managers and fabricators often have multiple skills at their command. And as managers they know where to find teams of skilled trades people, and how to motivate them as a cohesive unit.
• Risk managers: Employing a project manager substantially improves the likelihood of success and diminishes the possibility of expensive mistakes. Good project managers help you manage your risk profile and your budget.
I’ve been a sculptor and project manager 25 for years. After initially studying as an industrial designer, further skills development in project management means I’m unusually qualified to help other sculptors with their large or complex projects.
Why not call Todd Stuart on +61 4 5151 8865, or visit mainartery.art before you embark on your project and find out how to save time, money, and risk?
