The Artists
Helga Palasser
Born in Austria, Helga Palasser (* 1965), who lives in Carinthia, started her artistic education with a Sculptor apprenticeship in Bad Kleinkirchheim / Austria and worked from then on with stone and wood and learned various casting techniques. From 2010-2012 she completed a master's degree in cultural production in Salzburg. She works with sculptors from other countries and cultures with great pleasure. Special projects connect them with Nepal, Zimbabwe and Armenia. She participated in international symposia and art festivals in Cyprus, France, Great Britain and Germany. In addition to stone sculptures and clay works also an ice and a straw and hay sculpture emerged. For the latter, in 2017 she won 2nd prize in the "International Straw and Hay Sculpture Contest" in Valloire / France.
Mario Lopes
Mario Lopes, born in 1981 in Leiria, Portugal, completed a bachelor's degree in sculpture at the "Academy of Fine Arts" in Carrara / Italy and a master's degree in sculpture at the "Tama Art College" in Tokyo / Japan. In addition to sculptures, he also produces paintings, prints and paper works and presented them in various exhibitions, mainly in Japan and Portugal. Mario Lopes regularly tours international symposia and art festivals, including China, Iran, Taiwan, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Argentina. In 2012 he won first prize at the "International Sculpture Symposium" in Tehran / Iran and a second prize at the "International Sculpture Biennale" in Chaco / Argentina.
Nikolay Yotov
Nikolay Yotov was born in 1973 in Dobrich / Bulgaria and graduated in 2001 with a master's degree in sculpture at the "National Art Academy" in Sofia. His main concern is the materials wood and stone in its various forms (limestone, travertine, sandstone, granite, marble). Yotov participated in numerous international symposia in Bulgaria, Iran, Germany, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt Switzerland, Korea, Russia, France, Italy, Denmark, Austria and the Czech Republic. In 2002 he won first prize at the "International Sculpture Symposium" in St. Pierre de Chartreuse / France. Yotov is a member of the "Union of Bulgarian Artists".
Xiao Jucheng
Xiao Jucheng was born in 1984 in China and successfully completed postgraduate studies at the "Academy of Fine Arts" in Guangzhou, China. He is a teacher at the Art Department of the University of Putian, China, and has made his own sculptures at numerous symposia and Artist in Residence, including various cities in China, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, and Finland. Xiao Jucheng is a member of the "Chinese Sculpture Society", the "Professional Sculpture Committee of the Chinese Arts and Crafts Company" and director of the Institute of Sculpture in Fujian Province.
Hugo Maciel
Hugo Maciel, born in 1988 in Lisbon / Portugal, studied at the University of Lisbon, Department of Fine Arts. After completing a bachelor's and master's degree, he also obtained his doctoral degree there in 2015. He made sculptures of stone, wood, steel and polymer and participated in sculpture symposia in France, Italy, Canada, Argentina and Portugal. In 2011 he was awarded the 1st place at the "Festival for Visual Art" in Seia / Portugal, 2014 the 2nd place at the "International Sculpture Competition" of the "Bienal del Chaco" in Resistencia / Argentina. His second passion is the making and engraving of ornate medals and coins. In 2014, he received the "International Award for young medalists" in Sofia / Bulgaria. Hugo Maciel has exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries, at congresses and art festivals. His works of art can be found in museums such as the Museum Bergen / Norway and the Museum of Coins and Medals in Kremnica / Slovenia.
Zdravko Zdravkov
Born in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1977, Zdravko Zdravkov has a bachelor's and master's degree majoring in sculpture at the National Art Academy in Sofia. In addition to exhibiting numerous sculptures in his hometown, Zdravkov regularly participates in competitions and symposia, such as Oman, Qatar, Taiwan, Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, India, Germany, Palestine, Romania and Russia. Zdravkov is a member of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, Sculpture Department.
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