Sculpting

Sculpture has an enduring quality not seen in most art forms and it became an important influence on the development of Renaissance art in Italy. Along with architecture, it was the principal form of religious art - which for centuries was the driving force of European civilization. Even today, although continuously evolving and trying out new techniques, sculpture is still the leading method of expressing and commemorating both historical figures and events.

The art of sculpture is no longer restricted by traditional concepts, materials or methods of production. It is no longer exclusively representational, as classic sculptures were, but more often is entirely abstract. Nor is it purely solid and static. Modern sculpture may use empty space in an important way, and can also be kinetic and capable of movement. Finally, as well as being carved or modeled, there are many other techniques that can be used when sculpting such as assembly, gluing, projecting (holographically), or constructing in a wide variety of ways. As a result the traditional definition of sculpture no longer applies.

The sheer diversity of 21st century plastic art has left us with only one real characteristic: three dimensionality. Therefore, the current definition of sculpture is something like this: Sculpture is the only branch of the visual arts that is specifically concerned with expressive three-dimension form.