A Melbourne sculptor has set himself the Herculean task of helping restore the Acropolis in Athens and in doing so bring the ancient art of sculpting marble to life in Australia.
Nick Waddell, a graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts, says being a part of the Parthenon’s restoration team – either paid or unpaid, is a long-held dream, and one which he is committed to making come true this year.
The 39-year-old Ballarat-born sculptor told Neos Kosmos that to raise funds to cover his trip to Athens and a three-month stay in the capital, he would be leaving no stone unturned in pursuing grant-aid or sponsorship.
“It will mean working alongside some of the best marble sculptors in the world,” said Nick.
“The knowledge I would gain would be tremendous. It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena, was built of marble in 447 BC and designed by Pheidias, one of the greatest of all sculptors in Classical Greece.
The ancient temple has been in a perpetual state of restoration since the early 1980s, after the Greek government began a concerted effort to restore the Parthenon and other Acropolis structures.
Despite Greece’s financial woes, conservation continues through support from the government and the European Union.
Waddell’s labour of love to help restore Ancient Greece’s most sacred site links neatly to the Masters of Fine Art research project he is preparing, entitled Medusa’s Legacy.
His thesis proposal reinterprets the Medusa myth – the goddess’ legendary powers to turn those who gaze on her to stone – into a lesson about envy and technological obsolescence.
And it’s Waddell’s work on this theme – transforming outdated electrical appliances like fax machines and first generation mobile phones into life-size marble sculptures – which sets him apart.
Medusa’s Legacy asks the viewer not only to reconsider the technologies depicted, but the art of sculpting with marble itself.
If Nick is successful in his quest to work with Greece’s top masons, he says the experience could have a major impact on his future prospects as a working artist. Currently he subsidises his work as a sculptor by employment in an artworks transportation business.
“To be able to learn ancient and new techniques would really solidify my career,” he says.
“There are not a lot of people in Melbourne who sculpt marble, unless you’re a head stone maker or something of that ilk. There’s not that many opportunities to be creative.”
Nick is currently working up an application for an academic travel scholarship and is keen to hear from anyone who might have contacts with the Acropolis restoration project, the Acropolis Museum, or who might be able to offer support.
“I’m approaching the Greek Australian community to see if anyone has any contacts or can point me in the right direction,” says Nick.
“Letters of support would be handy. Any help would be really appreciated.”
Nick Waddell can be contacted at nhwaddell@hotmail.com or on 0411 965 122.