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ORIENTATION INFORMATION A remarkable new talent is emerging on the international art horizon. A Northern European and Italian artist, Paul Provence, has quietly been designing and bringing to life a remarkable sculpture of twelve beautiful children representing all ethnicities on earth appropriately named, "The Living Circle."™ Paul's unique sculpture is a first in the history of world art, since his life-size bronze invites and requires living human observers -- children and adult participants -- to complete its design by physically interacting with its twelve-plus children. By literally joining hands with this intense and powerful sculpture, visitors to potentially 30 international capitals will see and personally relate to the profound experience of participating in a fine arts masterpiece and worldwide event, individually and collectively embracing peace. "The Living Circle"™ Children's Peace Sculpture will be permanently installed at 30 capitals worldwide, making a definitive fine arts statement while simultaneously celebrating our crucial 21st Century, with intelligent optimistic hope. Artistically, historically, and ideologically, "The Living Circle"™ Children's Peace Sculpture is truly a significant and pivotal work of fine art. The remarkable "Living Circle"™ sculpture is limited to only 30 life-size examples [smaller 18", then 7" examples and (bas-reliefs) are planned for discerning collectors] and may well become the new global symbol for international peace; while also championing the importance of providing quality life by nurturing and investing wisely in all children, the future strength of any nation or cultural group. "The Living Circle"™ draws attention to these important facets of human experience and is rendered both impressionistically and realistically in wonderful facial details, relating a wide range of emotions, dynamic movements, and fascinating cultural details or dimensions. Paul Provence's early training as an anthropologist, with recently completed research in New York, has uniquely equipped him for "The Living Circle"™ sculpture project. Several years of design research before actual sculpting has led Paul to observe and work with indigenous child and adult models throughout the USA and worldwide, including several prominent choreographers in New York from Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey Modern Dance Studios, and Broadway Dance Center, while perfecting his sculpture's design with twelve outstanding Joffrey Ballet dancers. Paul Provence has also received a most favorable critique from the prominent ballet dancer/choreographer, Karin von Aroldingen (Principle Dancer, 1972-1984, New York City Ballet, Ballet Mistress for the Ballanchine Repertoire. American Ballet active affiliation). Meticulous analysis in photography with sketches of the twelve respective ethnic groups, clothing, and indigenous musical instruments was completed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art archives department and the Museum of Natural History Anthropology Department in New York, after several pervious photo sessions in different states with preliminary models (children, ages 6 through 10). Intensive research of Renaissance and contemporary Italian and French sculpture has also strengthened Paul's designs and imbued his esthetic lines and touch with a classical, yet fresh vitality. Final anatomical studies and press release photographs will be completed soon in both New York and one other location, followed by nine months to one year of actual sculpting in France and Pietrasanta, Italy, where "The Living Circle"™ bronze children will be cast and assembled for international installations. Both still photography and video sessions will provide ample details for Paul's crucial clay maquettes (final enlargements) soon to be constructed in Paris and near Carrera, Italy, where Michelangelo, during the Renaissance period and many other contemporary artists still procure their marble and cast their bronzes. Interview Insights from Artistic Creator, Paul Provence "The challenge of bringing together all earth's diverse ethnicities in one beautiful circle of joyful (life-size bronze) children is a wonderful technical challenge and a profoundly moving experience. Considering recent world events, my sculpture evokes the heart and soul of individuals and cultural groups, united in realistic, optimistic hope, for the present and the future. My sculpture is a welcome gift for all people, featuring the universal beauty of childlike innocence, coupled with the mature integrity of the entire history of dance; from artful movements, primal roots, to folk; ballet; modern, and jazz dance expressions. My art, and specifically, 'The Living Circle'™ Children's Peace Sculpture group, reveals elements intrinsic to all these influences while embodying a delicate synthesis between our sometimes stark reality and ideal moments or artistic states. My art and raison d'etre is to preserve passing moments of profound beauty and share enhanced reality with those who lovingly understand. Such careful distilled work, filtering through one's personal (and Jungian, collective unconscious) will certainly endure the test of time for relevance, artistic excellence and powerful elegance. Indeed, Pablo Picasso's lithographs of children, released decades ago, still inspires me, and in fact, was one of the many conceptual inspirations which gave impetus to my own "Living Circle"™ children's sculpture design. Extrapolating this from Picasso's wonderful graphics and concepts involving youth, entitled 'Rondes des Enfants . . . The Peace,' links us all, to my "Living Circle"™ sculpture on many levels of understanding . . . artistically, historically, ideologically, even kinetically! (My sculpture requires the continual movement of real living people through its perimeter for actual completion, and is therefore a truly dynamic fine arts piece.) I find it interesting that Auguste Rodin, the master French sculptor said that truly great figurative sculpture must reveal the human form in movement. My sculpture embodies this constant, purposeful movement of peoples, forms, ideas, emotions, and even the inevitable passage of time and ages. "The Living Circle"™ is my gift of a lifetime . . . shared through an artist's individual vision of beauty, a personal gift of peaceful hope." (Paul Provence) Fine Artist and "The Living Circle"™ Project Creator Note * Simultaneously, under development is Paul Provence's corollary documentary film series, also potentially twelve segments in length, which will chronicle the fascinating creation process and phases of his life-size "Living Circle"™ children from clay/wax maquettes to molten bronze castings and final glowing patina. Promising to be an award-winning documentary film series, several outstanding talents are being assembled to create, film, and produce the series. Paul Provence, utilizing both his artistic talents and anthropological training, wrote the documentary's treatment himself, selecting a prominent Jacques Yves Cousteau filmmaker as initial advisor (and one other major talent) to be executive producer, including several surprise cameo interviews with major scientists, entertainers, governmental leaders, and other personalities of note, including children, with their impromptu reactions. Perhaps most intriguing of all are the intense, deeply moving scenes of nature's varying moods, as each film segment opens and closes with beautifully orchestrated sunrise-sunset scenes of nature's daily, seasonal cycles highlighting each of the twelve geo-ethnic groups represented within "The Living Circle"™ sculpture's configuration and theme. In essence, this documentary (of "The Living Circle"), explores the relationships between earth's profound natural beauty and, individual creative consciousness, its further development into folk art, and culmination into fine art, within a fascinating anthropological context, viewed through a globally linked, or connected, multi-cultural prism. Completing this Renaissance man's extensive artistic and scientific interests are still other works in progress. Paul Provence's impressionistic landscape paintings and pastel compositions are truly outstanding and available to the serious fine arts collector by private appointment with the artist himself. (You are welcome to contact the Fine Artist himself by phone at (206) 232-6789.) Complementing these visual arts talents are Paul's accomplishments as a powerful and sensitive author and poet. After years of intermittent travel and disciplined painting and writing; his soon-to-be-published anthology of 1000 Japanese Haiku reveals the timeless essence of our beautiful Earth's four natural seasons. Each Haiku is a treasure, essentially recording life's perspectives, leading to profound realizations that transcended time, and are truly unforgettable. "Sumie Genius"
"Autumn"
"Above all, I try to create and paint the way the seasons change or water flows... revealing the essence of life's powerful or quiet moments, otherwise overlooked." (Paul Provence) All things considered, Paul Provence's mysteriously beautiful and powerful fine art will continue to challenge and stimulate us well into the future. An interesting, disciplined, and very private man, Paul Provence is an important artist in our century with a singular passion for revealing the essence of natural beauty. His sculptural debut with "The Living Circle"™ children's bronzes will undoubtedly be followed by brilliant visions on canvas of impressionistic motifs . . . Paul's true passion and raison d'etre. Follow this remarkable global artist's work and enjoy Paul Provence's shared vision of timeless beauty. For more information, please feel free to contact the artist directly. Paul Provence If Art is your forte, then this is Fine Art, par excellence! Phone: (206) 232-6789 Questions@thelivingcircle.com |
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Back to Home | Biography of Paul Provence | Message from Paul | Fine Art Fact Sheet | Press Release
Geographic-Ethnic Key | Sculpture Photos | Documentary Film Development | Letters of Endorsement
Drawings, Studies and Schematics