This was the sculpture network Advent calendar

The Christmas season and the holidays are over and we hope you started the new decade healthy and happy!

Looking back, we would like to say how much we enjoyed working on the sculpture network Advent calendar and thank all of you who sent us their special works of 2019. We have been super happy about all the positive reactions we received and therefore compiled an overview of all the presented sculptures.

2 December: Today, on the 2nd of december, we present the first work of art. We gave a lot of thought into the decicion, which of the many works would be the first and finally Hans Somes beautiful sculpture convinced us with her atmospheric colors and forms. The piece, created for submission to the Loewe Craft Prize 2020, reflects his passion for metal and individual shapes.

3 December: On the 3rd of december we want to present to you a work by the sculptor Sonja Bojko. With the stone sculpture relaxed we want to remind you to take some time, lean back and let the year 2019 end in a relaxed manner.

4 December: The Artists’ organic stone sculptures and geometric patterns reflect the diversity of forms and the creative spirit of nature. The large granite artworks Cloud Nine and Envelope of Pulsation II were shown for the first time at a solo exhibition at the Sculpture Parc of Kloster Schoenthal (Switzerland) from June to November 2019

5 December: Carles Valverde harmoniously combines minimalistic lines, surfaces and geometric forms to create large-scale sculptures. Todays Artwork is a piece of the Artists' private collection in Mallorca. With its strong red colour, the sculpture fits perfectly into the Advent and Christmas season.

6 December: Today, 6 December, we present to you the perfect Sculpture for Saint Nicholas Day. The Work Erdnüsse (Peanuts) by artist Eva Oertli reminds us of our childhood, the scent of fresh Christmas cookies, punch and mandarins.

7 December: Today we want to inspire you to reflect on yourselfs. Anders Tallberg created his sculpture Human Nature VI to remind us about the value, beauty and strength but also the fragility of our human nature in a world full of conflicts.

9 December: Todays work by Kaija Poijula is dedicated to the mythology of the constellation Coma Berenices (the hair of Berenice). According to legend, Queen Berenice of Egypt vowed to sacrifice her gorgeous hair to the goddess of love if her husband survived the war unharmed. When the king eventually returned, she kept her promise. The gods accepted her wonderful hair with joy and placed it between the stars.

10 December: On the 10th of December we will visit Emma Lenzis garden and her tall wooden sculpture with an indicated door. According to Lenzi, the door symbolizes the secret of all things that not yet are, or are expected. A beautiful metaphor which becomes present especially during Christmas time when waiting and patience are particularly difficult. Emma Lenzi wrote a poem especially for her sculpture:

11 December: This atmospheric photo shows the installation Le Nid des Djins by artist Eva Ducret at night - completely immersed in red light. In daylight you can see the complexity of the work: Like a universe of its own, the work "grows" around a tree making it it part of the Installation.

12 December: Behind the 12th door of our Advent calendar you can find a sculpture by Pedro Requejo Nova. The artist is famous for his bronze figures, which can be found all over Europe. El Soldadito de plomo, shows a scene from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale Der standhafte Zinnsoldat (The Steadfast Tin Soldier). The sculpture was produced in celebration of Andersen's 200th birthday and is located at the village square of Villalbilla (Madrid).

13 December: On the 13th of December we welcome the graceful sculpture In Cammino by Mara van Wees. The surface of her ceramic works appear like they originated from the ancient world while the shapes are clear and modern.

14 December: The work Womanly yours by Lidia Regoli accompanies us through December 14th. The four figures could be seen as a symbol of femininity and its various forms. However, Lidia Regoli says, it is best that the sculpture speaks for itself.

16 December: As Christmas is moving closer and closer we present to you three dynamic art happenings by Bernhard Keller. His works are mostly interactive, performative and engage the audience. He comments them as follows:

"The journey and the aim is the aim. Only through the transport, which takes the form of a kinetic sculpture and the path that appears as an open, participative performance, does the work become complete.
This is how my works Round and round (2019), A rolling stone (2017) and Slow motion 1 (2013) are designed."

For example during his project A rolling stone (2017) he rolled a huge stone to Werdenberg Castle. Therefore the stone was put in an extra designed rolling cage.

17 December: Happy birthday to our sculpture network member Jon Barlow Hudson whose new work Synchronicity: Minqin is behind the 17th door of our Advent calendar. The large-scale public sculpture changes its formal appearance according to the point of view thus opening new perspectives to the viewer.

18 December: Behind today's door hides the photographic image Hongo by artist Barbara Noculak. The picture is part of her project La Cruz Verde (The Green Cross) and shows how nature itself can be the greatest artist and inspiration for sculptures.

19 December: During the winter months, the sun shows itself only briefly but in todays artwork, Sol Lucet Omnibus by Giselle Weegles, it plays an important role. The sun does not distinguish between skin colour, race or sex: How divided people will be, the sun is shining for each human being.

20 December: On the 20th of December we present to you an artwork by Livia C. Gondos. Small tangles is composed with six parts which form a colourful whole. It is time to smooth over arguements of the past year and to start relieved and care-free into the new decade.

21 December: Today we present to you the sculpture The Greenlady by Helena Aikin. The artist puts a strong focus on ancient cultures and draws inspiration from those times. It is important for her to revive significant cultural heritage and meaningful backgrounds with her work.

23 December: Delicate and gentle like angel wings, golden corn stalks float behind the second last door and gently lead us towards Chirstmas. The installation Corn by Marian Smit can be seen until April 2020 in the Museum de Oude Wolden (Belleingwolde, Holland).  

24 December: Hooray, its Christmas! We open the last door of our sculpture network Advent calendar and present to you a luminous sculpture by Mirek Struzik. According to Struzik, Bubble Forest embodies the plants' ability to produce oxygen and takes the viewer on a journey to Wonderland.

We hope you enjoyed our sculpture network Advent calendar as much as we did. The sculpture network team wishes you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!