Grand Central Academy of Art Presents Results of 2nd Annual Classical Figure Sculpture Competition

The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America at the behest of its fine arts division, the Grand Central Academy of Art, is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Classical Figure Sculpture Competition.

The first place winning work by Joshua Koffman

The competition took place from June 8-12, 2009 in the Grand Central Academy's Sculpture Atelier at 20 West 44th Street in Manhattan. It was made possible by a grant from the Morris and Alma Shapiro Fund of New York, New York.

The twelve finalists (selected  last April from more than 60 applicants) competed in a deliberately all- consuming 40 - hour, five-day competition, modeling a half-size figure from life.  The model held her pose  throughout the intensive week that defined the competitive concours.  Promptly at 5 pm Friday, the artist competitors put down their tools and the judging immediately commenced. 

Viewing the sculptures at the award ceremony

The  just session ensued with the winners announced at 8 pm to the assembled reception and presentation ceremony. The judges were 1) GCA founder, director and teacher, painter, Jacob Collins; 2) designer and ICA&CA co-founder and teacher, Richard Cameron ; 3) sculptor, educator and founder of Philadelphia's Schuylkill Academy of Fine Art, Stuart Feldman.

They are:   

First Place, $10,000     - Joshua Koffman
Second Place, $3,000   - Kate Brockman
Third Place, $2,000      - Jiwoong  Cheh  
Honorable Mentions    - Julia Levitina McGeehan and Angela Cunningham 

The first place winner lives and works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he studied and presently teaches at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. For more information on Mr. Koffman, as well as the other honorees please visit the GCA Web site.

First Place Winner Joshua Koffman at work

Juror Richard Cameron said, “This second competition was an unqualified success and I was pleased to serve as a judge. During our deliberation, the three of us had an engaging dialogue about naturalism versus classicism in contemporary figurative sculpture. The choice of Josh Koffman was unanimous as his piece emerged as the most coherent whole of style, form, and expression."

ICA&CA President, Paul Gunther, said “The sculpture competition like the new Atelier that houses it each year is now integral to our overall drive to sustain an interdisciplinary center for the study, appreciation, and advancement of classical art and architecture. The physical and psychological rigor of the competition takes its cue from the Beaux Arts model as an annual complement to the regular class schedule and includes both regular core students and artists from around the world who pay attention to our work from a kindred perspective. What it signifies is a growing community of students and practitioners, who seek an alternative to the more solipsistic basis of most of today's schools of art. One path to such an alternative is the slow and exacting development of technical skill nurtured above all by a lifelong examination of the human body as a centering point of creative departure. The Competition thus serves as an eventful metaphor for all we endeavor to impart as stewards of the classical course throughout history."   
For additional photographs of the twelve final pieces, as well as the competition itself,  along with more information about  all of the finalists,  visit the Grand Central Academy 's Web site at http://grandcentralacademy.classicist.org/sculpturecompetition.html .

For more information about all ICA&CA programs visit www.classicist.org  Members of the press can contact Paul Gunther at [email protected]

 

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