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18 CHILDART GLOBAL CREATIVE LEADERS JAN-MAR 2021 19

SCULPTING Renaissance, along with learning art history and feel something—to think for a while about what is

depicted. I want my art to be good enough for
the regular school subjects.”
people to feel something. I use my skills to work
THE At age 17, Sergey was accepted into the prestigious in clay or stone or bronze to do this. I try to make a
Moscow Surikov Academy of Fine Arts, later
difference through the language of sculpture.”
graduating with honors. Here, he had to learn how
to technically execute the work of sculpting.
In 2013, Sergey joined the board of the International
REALM “You have to learn the technique and the basics— Child Art Foundation. Sergey advises young people,
“Throughout your life you are learning about yourself.
like scales for a pianist—and then the freedom
comes after that. Once you learn the technique, Experience teaches you. You start to learn what skills
you have—what you’re really good at. You cannot
you can use it in accordance with your vision, be perfect everywhere; everyone has weaknesses
wishes and passion. It requires lots of discipline and and strengths. You put your excellence forward
concentration. I mostly didn’t enjoy the serious, and you accept your weaknesses and do your
disciplined part of learning, but I did it to find best to try and improve. Be extreme at your
SERGEY EYLANBEKOV the freedom later. There is a balance between best, and then be accepting of the other parts.
discipline and creativity.”
Also remember, not every day is equal. Make an
SCULPTOR Sergey put in the work to learn in his formative assessment of your day— ‘On this particular day
I was able to do this.’ Keep thinking and moving
years. A moment of great honor and satisfaction
NEW YORK came when his sculpture, “Five Continents” won the forward one day at a time. It’s not as terrible as
US Olympic Sport and Art Competition in 2003 and you think.”
he was then selected by the International Olympic Years ago, Sergey visited his daughter’s school
Committee as the winner of the 2004 Olympic classroom. He brought a piece of alabaster, a chisel,
Sport and Art Competition. The piece remains and a mallet. He demonstrated sculpting and then
on permanent display at the Olympic Museum in he let the children try. Each child had a chance to
Switzerland. Sergey’s impressive list of awards and
In the early 1400s Agostino started sculpting 2020, his work was unveiled at the dedication of accomplishments spans the years prior to this event come up and knock off a piece of the stone. Chips
David from the Bible story of David and Goliath. the Eisenhower Memorial in Washington, DC. through today. “It’s a great honor and satisfaction to and pieces flew everywhere. There was excitement
He was using a large piece of marble leftover Sergey’s sculptures include Eisenhower both create successful pieces that are placed in various in the air. When you witness something being made,
from decorating a cathedral in Florence, Italy. as the 34th President of the US and also as the places throughout the world.” it suddenly becomes possible in your mind. When
After a short time, Agostino quit, leaving a barely Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary you get the opportunity to physically try something,
begun figure lying in a courtyard. Another sculptor, Force leading the 101st Airborne Division. Sergey “There’s so much media today. Things happen an excitement to create is born. Sergey suggests to
Rossellino, was hired to take over. He backed out tells the story of Eisenhower’s life in the unique quickly. People only look at something for a short kids everywhere, “If you want to try it, try it!”
almost immediately, citing that the marble was not of language of sculpture. Mindful of the tension of time. I hope I can make people stop and look and
good quality. The stone lay out in the elements for a the moment, as General Eisenhower leads his
quarter of a century. Finally, in the summer of 1501, troops into harm’s way on the eve of the Battle
an attempt was made to find someone who would of Normandy, Sergey translates this tension into
finish the project. Young Michelangelo was hired his work through technique and talent that he has
and given two years to finish. In 1504, 26-year-old mastered through years of practice.
Michelangelo finished the statue of David, taking on
an unfinished project begun with leftover materials. Sergey was born in Russia in 1960. “I grew up
It remains one of the most famous statues in the enjoying things most kids enjoy— riding bikes and
world today, more than 500 years later. playing soccer. I also made art. I made figurines of
Native Americans, putting real feathers on them.
The work of a sculptor is everlasting. With each touch I made figurines of animals. I used what I had. I
of the chisel the sculptor creates angles, curves, enjoyed making things.
light, or darkness, infusing life into a piece of stone.
A sculptor shapes places that are rough or smooth, “When I was 13 years old, I was accepted into the
using their skill to offer you a profound experience. Moscow School of Fine Arts. It was the premier
school in the Soviet Union for learning visual arts,
Sergey Eylanbekov is a sculptor. His work is on including sculpture. At this point I started doing art
display in countries throughout the world. Most for three to four hours every day. We had to copy
recently, on a rainy autumn evening in September ancient Egyptian and Greek art, and art of the

SERGEY EYLANBEKOV SCULPTING THE REALM https://icaf.org