Don't miss this: Mac's Sculpture Symposium 2005

Nelson's main street is being taken over by giant hunks of marble, steel, welders, chisel-wielding artists and a whole heap of creativity in this year's Mac's Sculpture Symposium.

Coordinator Tim Wraight says the symposium, now in its tenth year, is set to be bigger than before on several levels.

"We have expanded the site, we have some really large scale works, the timeframe is longer and the auction is going out to the world via the internet," he said. "The new time format includes a week long exhibition on site, so the public can see the works finished and bid for them on line."

After a blessing on Saturday morning the ten artists will swing into action using materials that range from marble and jade, stainless steel, copper and macrocarpa logs, to animated objects and woven rubber.

Takaka Hill sculptor Bruce Mitchell will be moving a huge piece of Takaka marble on site, while Nelsonain Deborah Walsh is making giant soft toy tiki and a pig from materials that include old swandris and gumboots.

The symposium closes on October14th and is followed by a gala opening to a week-long exhibition, with on-line bidding until Friday 21 October at 4pm. Wraight says this means rather than a one day sale, subject to weather problems and confined to bidders on site at the time, the auction will be nationwide, promoted by Fishers Fine Arts and held live on their website - www.fishersfinearts.com

Mac's Sculpture Symposium is part of the Nelson Arts Festival, presented by the Nelson City Council, and held this year in combination with Trafalgar 200, the commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Details on line at www.nelsonfestivals.co.nz

ENDS

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