On Thursday night March 16, 2011 I went to a town called Sant Cugat situated on the other side of the hills behind Barcelona, one can be there in 5 minutes as there is a tunnel, to see a show called "Processos Ocultos" in the cloisters of the Romanic Monastery around which the town is built. Eight sculptors spotlighted, documented and well presented, mock ups of their studios, using large colour photos from all angles like a collage, just one fairly large domestic work by each artist, a video on each sculptor working, this is why the exhibiton is called "Occult Process" because it demonstrates the work that goes into the creation of a sculpture and is unseen to the spectator. All financed splendidly by a local Bank, it was superbly curated and catalogued by Abel Figueres and an intellectual tonic in these troubled times.
The Cloister of the Monastery of San Cugat is spectacular and a perfect venue for Contemporary Sculpture (see Google for photos and descriptions of the monastery http://www.museu.santcugat.com/www.museu.santcugat.com ) I have had the pleasure of working with seven of the eight sculptors, but here I wish to comment on Ernest Altés a fellow member of Sculpture Network from Spain. I must admit I have a vested interest as we have a number of his sculptures in the Maddock Family Collection. Sculptures spanning over 30 years that hold up so well against the Test of Time. Ernest is a sculptor with a very unique mind, there are very few sculptors who can visualize correctly the proportions of a monumental sculpture, it is not just a matter of multipication of a maquette. Ernest not only has this faculty; he also has the ability to see quite simply, intrinquate and complicated designs that one only understands when they are realised.
His latest work "Serena" is an example of exquisite siting, realisation and complete maturity of an artist. Bravo Ernest !
The exhibition will be open until May 8, 2011. www.ernest-altes.net
Tom Maddock.