Should carvers colour their work?
Martin Turner stokes an already fierce debate. ‘William Fairbank, one of the most interesting wood sculptors working in this country, completed a huge work entitled The Forest Stations. This remarkable work portrays the Stations of the Cross using brilliant design and 139 different woods from around the world. Station 13, the body of Christ is held by his mother, is carved and composed of nine different coloured woods. Is this acceptable to those who do not accept painted wood? After all it is unquestionably wood and unquestionably colour.’ Turner Prize William Fairbank is using wood in a way which some carvers may not like but he is trying to get his latest work accepted as an entry for the Turner Prize (no relation!). I don’t think an entry in wood has been accepted before, but if it is, it can only be good for wood carvers – what ever they make.’………………………………………
