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SUMMER WAS ON THEIR SIDE
It was not a new idea to organize working and friendly gathering of sculptors - so called symposium. However it was in all respects a daring and challenging initiative. Newly established four-member Civic Society intended for organization of the international stone symposiums was ready to face the challenge. The society that was legally confirmed and registered on May 20.2001 is chaired by thirty-three years old sculptor Martin Kuchar from Ostrava. Although Martin Kuchar had taken part in several similar gatherings in the Czech republic and Poland before whee he had gathered inspiration and suggestions from far more experienced and older colleagues he did not have many experience at the beginning. The idea to organize such a creative workshop of sculptors from different countries precisely in our region went back to the year 2000. However, there was a long journey ahead. Taking into consideration the coal had been the main source of living and idol as well of the whole community for decades in this area, the young sculptor - an initiator of the project - had to decide where to organize the symposium.
DIDN'T BECOME A BLACK LAKE
Interesting and flourishing Stonava was eventually chosen. According to its mayor Ondrej Feber it was supposed to become a "black lake". the village would be sacrificed for the benefit of a nearby coal mine for the tons of "black gold". However after 1989 the situation changed and Stonava didnt become a black lake but a pleasant place to live. Although the chosen locality was literally charsmatic for this region of coal it was not possible to provide there shorty necessary conditions for one-month creative work as well as everyday needs of six sculptors from different countries.
LANDEK AS A MEKKA
However, by coincidence Martin Kuchar, the chairman of the Civic Society and the organizer of the project, managed to rent a building within the premises of the Mining Museum in Ostrava - Petrkovice. The building then gradually became habitable and suitable both for work and living of the artists. Also an exceptional and impressive surroundings below Landek hill that is emblazoned with legends and known for discovery of famous "Landek Venus" and interlaced by many of first coal seams suddenly became a perfect surroundings for the group of people allied by love for stone and its magic power.
The 1st International Symposium of sculptors from different countries - Japan, Sweden, Germany, Poland and the Czech republic - was agreed to take place from July 14th to August 10th 2002. the invited sculptors were mature artists and had a lot of experience from similar events around the world. Martin Kuchar himself had participated personally in various symposiums with them. Then necessary administrative preparations began as well as applications for grants were filed and also the preparation of the whole object started because it had been closed for the long time. It was supposed to become and it really did become a pleasant home for all participants of the symposium.
The idea to organize such an interesting event in Ostrava captured also Evzen Tosenovsky a district commissioner of Moravian and Silesian region. He undertook personal patronage over the 1st International Sculpture Symposium. Everything got started. In spite of various minor or major obstacles, the sculptors were in the place in the morning on July 14th 2002 and ready to start their work. Each sculptor chose one stone block from the prapared blocks that they wanted to hew during the next three weeks and breathe their vision into it. Stone blocks weighted altogether 30 tons and were brought below Landek from stone quarries in Bozanov (sandstoneú, Sumava (diorite), Stepanovice (syenite) and Reka in Beskydy (sandstone).
The Mining Museum with its director Miroslav Fojtik and Landek foundation with its director Stanislav Vopasek were tolerant of orgnization of the symposium at their premises. This unique and very interesting museum was made from an old mine called ANSELM. Plenty of visitors streamed through this museum during summer and found it an interesting change to have a chance to see sculptors works. Also cyclists passing by on the route to nearby Sliherovice made apprecative audience, many of them became daily visitors.
