Culture:

Creating an international platform for the exploration and practice of contemporary cast iron sculpture and to inspire global participation in the aesthetic, conceptual, cultural, historical, and technical dialogue on contemporary cast iron art. 

The mission of the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art is to “create an international platform for the exploration and practice of contemporary cast iron sculpture and to inspire global participation in the aesthetic, conceptual, cultural, historical, and technical dialogue on contemporary cast iron art.” The possibilities for cultural exchange inherent in the conference’s siting within different international communities are extensive, productive, and relevant. The ICCCIA is an opportunity for international iron sculptors to work side by side, exchange aesthetic and technical ideas, share conceptual questions, and engage in a dialogue contemporary cast iron art.

Education:

The International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art was founded as an academic conference exploring aesthetic and technical questions related to sculptural iron casting.

The conference’s educational aspects are many, from the panel presentations and talks to the mold-making workshops and practical demonstrations. The opportunity for delegate participation in the conference also creates a perfect teaching and learning environment, where sculptors at every level of experience can simultaneously teach and learn new information. Many of the conference organizers and participants are educators or students involved in the academic exploration of contemporary cast iron art. An equal number is also practicing artists and sculptors interested in aesthetic and conceptual explorations of iron. As a platform for international educational exchange, the ICCCIA is unprecedented in sculptural history. Artists, students, and educators from all over the world work shoulder to shoulder on molds, iron pours and sculpture projects, dialogue side by side on sculptural concepts and aesthetic explorations at panel discussions and presentations, and exhibit sculpture by sculpture in outdoor, experimental and open call exhibitions of art. 

Technology:

A critical aspect of the International Conference on Contemporary Cast Iron Art has always been exchanging information regarding new and developing technology. Developments in materials and processes, equipment, and technology, are ever shared through presentations, demonstrations, and workshops.

Industry representatives are invited to give practical demonstrations and encouraged to sponsor the conference. Recent developments in digital technology, including digital form and pattern making and digital mold making, have greatly expanded the contemporary foundry’s abilities and possibilities. Another area of interest has been adapting furnace designs to reduce their carbon footprint. These exchanges, between very ancient technologies and the most current explorations of process, create a vibrant dialogue for conference delegates and an opportunity to participate in cultural formation.