EUROPEAN ARTISTIC EXCHANGE LAUNCHES IN RURAL SHROPSHIRE

Extramuros – art outside the walls is a major European touring exhibition of sculpture exploring culture, communities and artistic expression between the rural areas of Shropshire in the UK, Andalucia and Asturias in Spain, and Aderes in Portugal. It had its international launch in Ellesmere, Shropshire on Wednesday 28 March 2007.

Since its launch in Ellesmere it has travelled to Andalucia and Anderes and is currently in Asturias. The British work is due to return to Ellesmere in the summer 2008.

Ellesmere's beautiful and imposing Mere provided a breathtakingly stunning backdrop for the 12 highly distinctive, diverse and thought-provoking sculptures by artists from each of the European countries involved in the cultural exchange. The British pieces will return to join a sculpture trail through Ellesmere with the Ellesmere Gateway series created this year by Benchart.

British artists Richard Taylor, Irene Brown and collaborators Chris Stokes and Junko Mori were each commissioned by Qube to create a sculpture to celebrate the extraordinary geological, industrial and cultural heritage of Ellesmere. Along with the other artists in the other countries, they interpreted their local landscapes, history and communities and through the medium of sculpture have helped to facilitate understanding and insight into different lifestyles and experiences.