Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival closing ceremony

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courtesy Whitehorse International Sculpture Festival

Harry Whitehorse and the sculpture "Superior Spirits."

Harry Whitehorse and the sculpture "Superior Spirits."

This ambitious festival brings together a slate of wood sculptors from around the world for a week-long residency, to show their work, create new work, and involve the public with demos and other entertainment. Harry Whitehorse, the late Ho-Chunk sculptor from Monona, inspired the festival that will focus on both contemporary and traditional wood sculpting techniques. Opening ceremonies at 5 p.m. on June 14 feature a Ho-Chunk color guard and the Thundercloud Singers and Dancers. The public is invited to watch the artists work 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily from June 15-21; each day highlights a different art form. Update: Due to a rainy forecast, the closing ceremony on June 22 has moved up to 10 am, with a community potluck to follow. Find more info at harrywhitehorse.com.

media release: June 21 update: Due to the forecasted weather for Saturday / tomorrow, the schedule for the last day of the Harry Whitehorse Wood Sculpture Festival has changed. The closing ceremony will be at 10:00am and the community potluck at 11:30am. Please join us to celebrate this amazing week!

The Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival pays tribute to the late Monona, Wisconsin sculptor Harry Whitehorse by hosting a festival that celebrates the art of contemporary and traditional wood sculpting. Eleven world-renowned sculptors will join us for a weeklong artist-in-residence, June 14-22. The Festival, inspired by the tradition of international  sculpture symposiums, will feature the creation of new sculptures, an exhibition of previous works, demonstrations, food, and entertainment.

Fri., June 14 • 5 pm, Opening Ceremony: Ho-Chunk Color Guard, Thundercloud Singers, and Dancers

June 15 -22 • 9 am – 5 pm, Artist Working Hours

Sat., June 22 •  10 am, Closing Ceremony & Reception

This is the first invitational International Festival (Symposium) ever dedicated to an indigenous person. It brings global culture to our neighborhood and creates connections with community, indigenous and international artists in a way that’s never been done before.

Gene Delcourt is a wood sculptor living in Madison. During his MFA studies at UW-Madison he sought Harry Whitehorse’s guidance to further his studies. Harry convinced Gene to attend international wood carving symposiums abroad, leading him to participate in six European events. His dream was to bring an event like this home and the first annual Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival was born.

Other featured artists include: Eugene Alfred, Northern Tutchone & Tlingit, Mayo, Yukon Territory, Canada; Simone Carole Levy, Herrliberg, Switzerland; Annegret Kalvelage, Gernsbach, Germany; Linda Lou Metoxen, Diné, Montello, Wisconsin; Mert Kaan Burnaz, Eskisehir, Turkey; Carlos Olivera Aguirre, Quechua, Cusco, Peru; Gadadhar Ojha, Brou-sur-Chantereine, France; Lidia Rosińska, Zakopane, Poland; Oldrich Pliska, Halenkovice, Czech Republic; Ihor Tkachivsky, Ukraine; Thorsten Schütt, Horsten, Germany