The First International Monumental Stone Sculpture Symposium at Shilpgram, Udaipur is the first of its kind event in Udaipur, where more than 20 sculptors from various parts of the country and world have gathered to showcase their talent on huge chunks of marble.

The symposium, which began on 25^th March 2013 will culminate on 25^th April and over these 30 days, every artist will incorporate the best of their creative abilities on the stone.

UT congratulates the joint effort of Udaipur Administration and West Zone Culture Centre of taking such a fantastic initiative and providing such a large platform to these artists.

Besides the event and people behind it, many of us are still unaware about the artists whose master pieces will be installed at the City’s roundabouts (Chauraha), gardens and other public places for beautification.

Out of 21 artists, UT has met and interacted with 16 of the artists in the symposium and learned about their work, life and achievements.

Here are the brief biographies of 16 Sculptors at the First International Monumental Stone Sculpture Symposium.

Ayla Turan, Germany

Ayla Turan has dedicated 17 years of her life on polishing her artistic skills on sculpture making. After getting a degree in Sculpture and Fine Arts from Mimar Sinan University (Istanbul, Turkey), Ayla participated in several symposiums and exhibitions organized in countries including Turkey, China, France, Hungary, Sweden, Egypt, UAE and India.

Works and Recognitions

Her sculptures have been placed in 21 exhibitions across Turkey; most prominent being the Art Summer Gallery in Istanbul, El-Turko Art Gallery and Elgiz Museum, Teras. Turan has also been part of more than 30 symposiums held across the globe, including International Sculpture Symposiums, Umm-El Fahim in Israel and Zalagerzek at Hungary in year 2001 and 2000 respectively. Apart from this, Ayla Turan participated in International Wax Festival ‘Ubon Rachatani’ in Thailand recently in 2012.

Jorge De Santiago, Mexico

This 59-year-old Mexican artist is one of the most experienced and adroit sculptor among several others working at the symposium in Shilpgram.

Santiago has an aptitude of creating art work by using several mediums. He also taught art after getting trained at Pedagogic Education for Teachers of Fine Arts from the National Institute of Fine Arts, Mexico. Through years of hard work, Jorge De Santiago has achieved expertise in Sculpture & Engraving and Plastic Art.

Works and Recognitions

In his professional life, Jorge has won many awards in a number of competitions, notable among them being the 1st Prize in “Gran Prix d´La Ville D´Agde” at France in 1992, 2nd Place in “L´ouvre Primeé” Marseillan” held in Marseillan, France in 1994 and a 2nd Position in the International Contest of Snow Sculpture at Ontario, Canada in 1996. Jorge has shown his active participation in around 26 noteworthy Symposiums organized in various countries, including 2nd International Symposium, Stainless Steel Sculpture organized at Monterrey Technological Institute, Campus San Luis Potosí, S.L.P. MEXICO.

Renate Verbrugge, New Zealand

Artworks of Renate Verbrugge have their own specialty and precision. Born in Beligium, Renate immigrated to New Zealand and eventually came to know about stone sculpture through renowned wood and metal sculptor of New Zealand, Filipe Tohi.

In her 14 years of career, Renate Verbrugge participated in many global Symposiums including, France, Italy, India, Turkey, Albania and Egypt.

Works and Recognitions

Exhibiting her art work of Sculptures, Renate has participated in both Solo and Group Exhibitions, prominent among them were at Ideel Petegem, Belgium (2005, 07 and 09) in Solo, whereas she showcased her talent in group exhibitions at Himeji , Japan (2007), Wellington, New Zealand (2007) and Liege, Belgium (2008).

Dumitri-ion Serban, Italy

51-year-old Dumitri is a renowned Romania born sculptor based in Italy. He graduated in arts from Acadamy of Fine Arts, Bucharest and specialized in art work based on stone, ceramics, glass and glass windows.

Works and Recognitions

With number of solo and group work, Dimitri has also won prestigious awards in Sculpture competitions; prominent among them were the 1st prize for Stone Sculpture, Harlau, Romania in 1999, and National design award at ‘National Theater’ Art Gallery in Romania and special award of ‘Decorative Art Salon’ Bucharest, Romania in 1993.

Saravudth Duangjumpa, Thailand

Duangjumpa’s work has been appreciated several times during his decade long career in creating outstanding artwork in number of symposiums, solo works, exhibition and other programs conducted in Asian, European and American countries.

61-year-old Saravudth Duangjumpa did his masters in Fine Art Sculpture from Silpakorn University Thailand and from year 1977 till 2000 he actively contributed in the world of art and artisans.

Works and Recognitions

Duangjumpa participated in international exhibitions at USA, Cambodia, Austria, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan. Saravudth has won the 3rd prize in Bronze Media Sculpture in the 31st National Exhibition of Arts at Bangkok.

Srinivasan Reddy, India

Srinivasan Reddy was born in Suryapet, Andhra Pradesh. Following his graduation in Fine Arts from JNT University, Hyderabad he further specialized in Ceramic Sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara in 1990.

Srinivasan Reddy is known as an artist who is at ease with several different media of visual art like Terracotta, fiber glass, bronze, stone sculpturing and painting. This has been possible due to his unrelenting efforts in the field for the past twenty years.

Works and Recognitions

Reddy’s endeavors were honored with number of awards, including National Award from Lalit Kala Academy, Junior Fellowship from Department of Cultural Center and many more of the kind. Since 1990, Reddy has displaed his talent in around 50 symposiums held in almost every part of the globe. Reddy’s collections of sculptures are kept on display in museums across the country.

Bhupesh Kavadia, India

Bhupesh Kavadia the 44-year- old sculptor born in Udaipur Rajasthan, is commerce graduate and closely related to the field of art and has received number of awards, including the National Academy Award at New Delhi in 2006, All India Fine Arts & Craft Society Award twice at New Delhi and the Fellowship Award by Art Council of Wales, UK in 1997.

Works and Recognitions

In his art career, Bhupesh has participated in several International Symposiums like the 10^th Asian Art BIENNALE held in Bangladesh; Rajasthan Exchange at Queen’s Gallery, British Council at New Delhi; Symposium by Australia Council of Fine Arts; Artist Camp Moscow Russia; Artist Camp at Japan and Exhibition “La Danse Des Couleurs”, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Africa were some of the prominent ones.

Rajendar Kumar Tiku, India

Rajendar Kumar Tiku, an acclaimed Sculptor from India, is a science graduate and completed his degree in Law from Kashmir.

Tiku has received formal training in sculpture from the Institute of Fine Arts at Srinagar in 1979. Since then he has been involved in artistic works and projects for more than thirty years.

In addition to his own work as a professional sculptor, he also teaches at the Institute of Fine Arts at Jammu and Srinagar. Tiku is known for his creative treatment of form and the innovative methods of material application in contemporary sculpture.

Works and Recognitions

Since 1990, Tiku has been having regular solo shows of his work at Delhi, Jammu and other places. He has also participated in innumerable international and national level art exhibitions held in India and abroad in China, Germany, Switzerland, Israel and elsewhere. He has participated and contributed his work at a large number of national and international level symposiums on stone carving, clay, metal casting and installation. Tiku has received many awards for his work, including Pollock Krasner Foundation (USA) grant in 2005. Moreover his show was awarded the best show-sculpture by India Habitat Centre in 2003. He is also included in the special role of Juries by Lalit Kala Academy and declared as Eminent Artist.

Rajivnayan Pandey, India

Rajivnayan Pandey, 48-year-old artist and sculptor and presently giving his services as Principal/Dean, College of Arts & Craft, Lucknow University.

Pandey is an Arts graduate and accomplished his Masters in Fine Art from University of Baroda.

He has received Research Grant from Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi in 1991-92, and has represented India in Cultural Exchange Program at Greece in 2006. He also signified as Indian Sculptor to carve Rock Sculpture at UNESCO.

Works and Recognitions

Rajivnayan has participated in almost all major National Exhibitions from 1985, organized around 7 solo shows in various cities of India, while being active among 30 Group Shows all over the country from 1985-2011. He has presented his art work in nearly 11 symposiums, including both national and International along with the Indo-Japan symposium held in 1988-89.

Akira Yamamoto, Japan

Akira Yamamoto is one of the most experienced sculptors in the 1^st international Monumental Stone Sculpture in Shilpgram, Udaipur. After graduating from National Kanazawa College of Art in 1970, Akira dedicated his professional career to escalate his skills in several forms of sculpture art form.

Akira being a Sculptor remained very close to India through his frequent participation in various symposiums organized in Vadodara, Gwalior, Mumbai, Hyderabad in number of Indo-Japan and other International Symposiums held in the past two decades.

Works and Recognitions

In the series of enormous awards and recognitions, some notable are: Awarded with Kanazawa Mayor Prize in 1969 at Hokuriku Modern Art Exhibition, 2^nd prize won in 1991 in a Stone Sculpture Contest held in Japan, among others.

Nagji Patel, India

Nagji Patel from Gujarat is one of the senior most artists and sculptor at work in Shilpgram. The 76-year-old artist is Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from University of Baroda, Vadodara. Nagji is the most versatile and experienced among the sculptors around the world.

Nagji Patel’s endeavor towards art is being honored with dozens of awards, including Gaurav Puraskar by Lalit Kala Academy. He has consecutively won the National Award for stone Sculptures in 1962-1964.

Works and Recognitions

Nagji possesses experience of nearly 50 years in the field of art and sculpturing and is known to almost every sculptor. Patel has shown a tremendous potential in producing Monumental Sculptures in countries like Japan, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Iraq, Cuba and Korea.

In his professional career, Patel was agreed as Jury and Advisor of IPCL, Bombay Art Society, National Exhibition and was even appointed as Commissioner in the 4^th Triennale, New Delhi.

Rajshekaran Nair, India

Rajshekaran Nair, the 56 year-old Sculptor hailing from Chennai specializes in art work on Black Granite, Stone and Bronze. Nair, alike others, completed Master in Fine Arts from University of Baroda and started his professional art work soon after his Masters.

Nair was awarded with Highly Commended Certificate each at Kerala and Gujarat in 1978 and 1984 by Lalit Kala Academy; later he was honored with Henry Moore Award in UK in 1985 and received Fellowship to Outstanding Artist in 1991 and National Award for Sculpture in 1994.

Works and Recognitions

In his professional career, Rajshekaran Nair has participated in Forestry Commission Residency in Glasgow, Scotland in (1987); thereafter visited Sh-Bunka-Ehime Prefecture at Japan inn (1990), and moreover has participated in almost every Symposium and Exhibition organized in India from 1991 to 2002.

Robin David, India

Robin David, the 63-year-old artist from Bhopal was born in New Delhi. David holds a National Diploma in Sculpture from Gwalior in 1977, though the artist started delivering masterpieces since 1975. Robin had been honored with first Bharat Bhawan Biennial of Contemporary Indian Art in 1986. He was also honored with a number of National Awards in regular intervals for his outstanding art work.

Further, Robin had been an indispensable artist in more than 60 art camps organized in various parts of the country and was appointed as Convener by Madhya Pradesh Housing Board to organize International Sculptors camp in 2002-03.

Works and Recognitions

Robin David has participated in several exhibitions held in Bhopal, Gwalior, Mumbai and New Delhi in regular intervals both in Solo and in Groups. Major exhibitions attended by Robin comprise of the Inter-State Art Exchange of Lucknow and Ahmadabad in 1978 and ‘Artist Alert’ an Auction Exhibition in Memory of Safdar Hashmi in New Delhi, 1989.

Apart from his professional achievements Robin played an important role in establishing Sculpture Department in Gwalior, he has provided guidance and demonstration to introduce Art among Students, Painters, Architects and even Engineers.

Kenji Toda, Japan

Kenji Toda from Japan was born in Shimane Prefecture; the 66-year-old artist is a Sculpture graduate from University of Kanazawa Art and Technology. Toda carries an experience of around 42 years; he has become part of more than 30 Group Exhibitions in many countries across Globe, including India, Holland, Sweden and many more.

Works and Recognitions

After his graduation, Kenji Toda spent his two initial years in Sweden (1970-1972) and later founded a Sculpture Studio ‘Jupposha’ (1985) after his visit to the Ellora Caves, India in 1982. Toda’s international visits have taken him to Cuba, Vietnam, China and Korea, while he was selected in nearly 15 National Exhibitions organized in various cities of Japan from 1970 to 2012.

Raphael Beil, Germany

Raphael Beil, the 49-year-old artist born in Hamburg works as freelance sculptor and teacher. Beil had been selected for many International Symposiums held across the world including Turkey, India, Taiwan, Guatemala, Italy and France.

Works and Recognitions

Since 1992 Raphael Beil has been working as a freelance sculptor, and later joined Lectureship at Altissimo Camp at Italy from 2006-13. Beil has carried out a number of Public Work Sculptures in various cities of Germany.

Further, few major international symposiums attended by Raphael include the 1^st International Stone Symposium at Turkey, 1^st International Stone Symposium by Uttarayan Foundation at Baroda, 9th International Symposium of Stone Sculpture Aurisina, Italy and recently organized 2^nd International Stone Sculpture Symposium by Uttarayan Foundation in 2013.

Adwaita Gadnayak, India

Bhubnashwar based Adwaita Prashad Gadnayak is known for his marvelous imaginations and execution of its creations. A Bachelor in Fine Arts from B.K College of Art and Crafts, Adwaita took higher education in Arts from New Delhi, London and participated in several exhibitions and shows globally.

He mostly likes to work on stone, wood and metal.

Works and Recognitions

Adwaita Prashad Gadnayak received his awards from Lalit Kala Academy, Scholarship from Slade School of Fine Arts, London.

The residence of Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba in Satyagraha Ashram at Sabarmati, a seated sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi and a black marble sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi followed by some of the marchers on the famous Salt March are some of his finer masterpieces.