Waldemar Januszczak presents his definitive account of his all-time favourite art-form - sculpture - in this new three-part series. "Sculpture has never had a dark age," says Januszczak. "It's always been there, in every society, in every corner of the world. Because it's the most critical art. The one we can't do without."
Stressing the global primacy of sculpture, Januszczak travels to the most spectacular sculptural locations in the world - from Peru to Nigeria, and Easter Island to Japan - and visits some of the most revered contemporary sculptors, including Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn, James Turrell and the Chapman brothers.
In three epic journeys, Januszczak uses sculpture to explore attitudes to sex, power and the cosmos, to demonstrate why sculpture has been, and will continue to be, at the heart of our cultural lives.
This first episode traces the representation of women in sculpture from the prehistoric Venus of Willendorf, via the Venus de Milo, to Marc Quinn's representation of Alison Lapper Pregnant (pictured).
Waldemar visits a plastic surgeon in California who believes he has pinpointed the exact mathematical formula for beauty and who shows us how "perfection" can be achieved by "improving" the image of Victoria Beckham. And he meets notorious "body sculptress" Orlan who has undergone numerous operations to turn her body into an artwork.
Did you know? Following the series, the iconic works of five internationally renowned artists will be exhibited at the British Museum from 5 October. The exhibition, entitled "Statuephilia: Contemporary Sculptors at the British Museum", will feature installations selected by Januszczak in association with the museum.
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