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European Sculpture – Difference & Diversity

Randall, J. (2010) “European Sculpture – Difference & Diversity” Martini Arte Internazionale & Sculpture Network, Nave Gallery, Parco Culturale Le Serre, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy, 16 September – 12 November 2010.

Organised by Sculpture Network, Europe’s "leading esteemed platform for three-dimensional art" (http://www.sculpture-network.org/en/home.html), and Martini Arte Internazionale, 168 artists from 20 nations participated in the call for proposals for this exhibition. The aim was to reflect and examine current trends in contemporary European sculpture practice. Works by 30 artists were selected by an independent, international jury of curators from major European museums, including Marc Wellmann of the Georg Kolbe Museum in Berlin, Miranda MacPhail of the Gori Collection, Italy, and Patrizio Bottallo of Martini Arte Internazionale (http://www.sculpture-network.org/en/home/program/exhibitions/exhibition-in-italy-2010.html). Randall was one of only two UK sculptors selected.

Eight works by Randall were exhibited, investigating the “charged object" within contemporary sculpture and exploiting recycled materials invested with history through their past use. This work contributes to investigations within contemporary sculpture relating to notions of the 'loaded' and transformed object (for example, the work of Cornelia Parker and Jannis Kounellis), drawing on the work of artists Joseph Beuys, Miroslav Balka and Susana Solano.

Randall’s investigations form part of a larger body of practice that highlights the enduring importance of the physical object in the digital age. Marc Wellmann (2010) points out that: "Within this extreme scope of the category 'sculpture', there remains... an essential nucleus, which has not lost its fascination but has recently even gained in significance. The material, haptic presence of sculptural works as part of our immediate environment is a counterforce versus the detached and volatile world increasingly governed by the media” (p.8). A bilingual (Italian and English), 96-page catalogue was produced, entitled ”European Sculpture – Difference & Diversity” (Sculpture Network, 2010 – http://issuu.com/sculpture-network.org/docs/catalogue_turin)

In addition to the exhibition, Randall was invited to present her work to the IX International Sculpture Forum of the European Sculpture Network (http://www.sculpture-network.org/en/home/program/international-forum/ix-international-sculpture-forum.html), Parco Culturale Le Serre, Grugliasco, Turin, Italy 16–18 September 2010.