Abbas Hashemi SCULPTOR

Born 1941 in Mashad, Iran.

Primary and most of secondary education in Mashad (image 1), continuing High School studies of art & literature, in Tehran.

Came to England in 1971 (image 2) intending to study film and TV graphics, but in fact studied graphics and design for print - also pursued interest in photography and animation.

Completed studies in 1974 at Cambridge College of Art & Technology.

1975 to 1982 worked mainly as a graphic designer, also freelance photographer and illustrator.

Started computer graphics in 1982 and until mid 90s worked on variety of projects, national and international, using early desktop computers for still graphics and animation. Animated graphics and sound projects were shown in exhibitions in the United States, Europe, and Middle East.

1995
Since 1995 a lifelong interest in 3D work (sculpture) has become a full time occupation. The main influence which goes back to childhood was my uncle (image 3) who was a sculptor. He worked with a team of artists and craftsmen to produce life size and larger statues to be installed as public art in Iran. Some of his smaller works were in our house, and they were a source of inspiration throughout my childhood.

My studio is at Wysing Arts Centre, Bourn, near Cambridge (images 4 & 5), where I work full time. I also give talks, teach and run workshops for adult students. The workshops are weekends or 10-week evening courses.

A great deal of my time is spent on making plaster maquettes (image 6) of new ideas. Making a maquette is very important for me. When completed, it is the first time I see my idea in 3D. Before that all is either in my mind or on paper.

About my work
Although I aim to achieve a final simplicity in my works, the ideas which they express are often relatively complex. For me, discovering what there is inside a piece of stone is an endless effort. There is, always, another sculpture to carve, another feeling to express, another childhood memory to tell (eg no 14 She told a story and fell asleep, no 15 Three Lives gallery 1).

Apart from some simple figurative forms, my work tends toward the abstract and it is inspired not only by natural and organic forms, but also by what I read, and what I remember from the past, or what I observe at the present . In a figurative shape, like a bird, for me the importance lies in what the bird does rather than what kind of a bird it is (eg no 41 Search, no 45 Crane preening (gallery 3)), or a bird�s movement may carry an association (eg no 43 Suddenly last year (gallery 3), no 55 Bird with broken wing, no 58 Kissing the moon goodnight (gallery 4)).

Occasionally, an idea for a sculpture stays in my mind for many months, even years, but developing all the time towards the final form (eg no 33 If I call louder will you come back? (gallery 3)) This sculpture is inspired by a character from Virginia Woolf�s To the Lighthouse. I have other sculptures inspired by characters from books, the most recent one being no 59 Reading Thomas Hardy from The Mayor of Casterbridge (gallery 4).

I call a sculpture completed when I feel fully satisfied with the work in front of me. Creating a sculpture takes time, and I never economise on the time, no matter how large or small the piece is going to be.

I make sculptures both for outdoors and indoors. My outdoor works are mainly in limestone such as Portland, Clipsham and Ancaster. They are suitable for private gardens and public places like schools and hospitals. I also make smaller indoor pieces in Alabaster and Soapstone.

Workshops
My one-day or weekend workshops (images 7 & 8) normally start with approximately 45 minutes talk which is aided by images and digital film, using my laptop and digital projector. During the first few minutes the participants learn about my own working environment, and the kind of sculptures I make.

I introduce different types of stone (image 9), the tools (image 10) and materials needed for carving the piece of stone they will be using, followed by an explanation of some different techniques (image 11) that can be employed to start a carving. At this point the techniques used by some of the old masters or well-known contemporary sculptors are explained.

The talk continues by describing the way I myself start making a sculpture: thinking of an idea, visualising the different views or features, making a maquette in plaster, and finally carving and finishing the work (image 12). The section on �where the ideas come from� is often extensive, with a number of examples to help students start their work.

The talk ends with more samples of work, not only by well-known sculptors, but by other students (image 13) and previous workshop participants, too, most of whom had never done any carving before. This part, especially, proves to be extremely encouraging for beginners or those with little carving experience.

I encourage the participants to think of creating abstract or semi abstract sculptures. They never copy other sculptors work. They talk to each other about their ideas as they carve.

While they work, I ask the participants to think of a title for their sculptures so that not only will each sculpture have an identity of its own, but will help the future viewers to have a starting point for understanding their work.

One-hour Talk
The introductory talk to the workshop activities is also adapted for a one-hour talk. Sometimes the talk can be extended to cover a sculptor�s life and work. This helps the students to understand the thoughts, lives and works of other artists. Some well-known pieces are discussed and when possible the history of their creation is told.

Computer with digital projector is used to maximise the students� level of concentration, also to facilitate surfing through the images. For some schools the last fifteen minutes of time is given over to practical activities such as apple carving (image 14), which is always popular.