Photo Credit: Albert Wilkinson

UPDATE - The closing celebration for the International Sculpture Symposium will take place at 4.00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7th at Rotary Commons, 315 Main Street, Nashua.
Please join us in honoring the artists and view the sculptures they have created for the city of Nashua and its residents to enjoy!

The City of Nashua is pleased to announce the second International Sculpture Symposium, Future, an art and culture event taking place in downtown Nashua from May 17th through June 7th 2009. The Symposium will be centered on four internationally based sculptors and their works, which will be created in the Millyard area of downtown Nashua. The finished sculptures will then be placed permanently in locations around the City of Nashua.

The International Sculpture Symposium series, titled “Footprints”, is inspired by John Weidman, director of Andres Institute of Art, in Brookline, New Hampshire, and Meri Goyette, a major arts supporter who resides in Nashua. Andres Institute of Art was co-founded by Weidman and Paul Andres, the Institute’s principal benefactor, in 1998. The Institute has hosted sculptors from around the world for the past ten years in the Bridges and Connections series of annual International Sculpture Symposia, accommodating the artists at the Andres Institute and placing their artwork in the sculpture park at the Institute. Collaborating with John and Meri on the second of the Footprints series, “Future”, and its related events are the City of Nashua along with City Arts Nashua, For the Artist, and the Nashua Area Artists Association (NAAA). Andres Institute is the umbrella 501(c)3 non-profit organization for this project. Partial funding has been provided by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

The sculptors who are participating in the symposium are Luben Boykov of Bulgaria, Michele Golia of Italy, Sarah Mae Wasserstrum of Israel, and John Weidman of the United States (images and bios attached).

“The ultimate goal of the Footprints series is to collect significant works of art and permanently place them throughout the city,” says Meri Goyette, “which will in turn promote tourism, art awareness and education." Alan Rau, facilities manager of Ultima Nashua Industrial Corporation (Ultima NIMCO), has donated workspace at the NIMCO facility for the creation of the sculptures. Located at 1 Pine Street Extension in Nashua’s Millyard district, the works-in-process will be available for public viewing at specific times during the three week period of the symposium, leading up to their final placements.
Many exciting arts related events are planned for the May 17th through June 7th time period, including:

• An opening reception at Gallery One, 5 Pine Street Extension, on Sunday, May 17th, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Gallery One - “Spring Fling”, a new exhibit celebrating spring, through May 31st.
• Chimera Gallery in the Picker Building, Saturdays 1:00-5:00 and other hours by appointment. Two shows: Dominique Boutaud, "L"echapper Belle - A Narrow Escape", and Art Ferrier, urban photographic images.
• Studio 99 in the Picker Building: Wed, May 20th, Bluegrass Jam; Sat, Jun 13th, Open Mic, featuring Average Joe’s barbershop quartet.
• Many of the art galleries and studios in the Picker Building will have extended hours during the symposium
• Photographs by Albert Wilkinson of the 2008 Symposium, Footprints Series: First Footprints, on display at Hampshire First Bank, 221 Main Street, Nashua
• A walking tour to include several of the installed sculptures is planned for Saturday, May 24th
• Closing Reception on Sunday June 7th

The International Sculpture Symposium “Footprints: Future” is presented by The City of Nashua (hershk@nashuanh.gov); Meri Goyette (603-882-1613); The Andres Institute (John Weidman at 603-673-8441); the Nashua Area Artists Association, and City Arts Nashua at info@cityartsnashua.org. Sculpture creation and in-process work will be available for viewing starting on Saturday, May 23rd through Wednesday June 3rd at NIMCO, located at 1 Pine Street Extension in the Millyard. Visitors are encouraged to drop by from noon-2:00 pm Monday-Friday, 4:00-6:00 pm on Thursdays, and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturdays. Related art exhibits, artists’ receptions, Art & Crafts demonstrations, live entertainment, and historic architecture tours will take place throughout the downtown and Millyard. Student field trips are available throughout this event. Visitors will delight in this lively and educational celebration of Nashua’s thriving arts and culture community. For more information, call Andres Institute at (603) 673-8441 or visit www.andresinstitute.org or www.CityArtsNashua.org. All events are free and open to the public.