CARRARA, ITALY — a city where the very hills seem to shimmer with the ghosts of sculpture — marble is more than stone. It is legacy. It is labor. It is myth. This small Tuscan town, long celebrated as the marble capital of the world, has provided the raw material for some of the greatest works of art in human history. From the precise hands of Michelangelo to the dramatic forms of Canova, Carrara’s quarries have shaped not only masterpieces, but also the imagination of Europe itself.
From 12 to 16 May 2025, this historical resonance will meet contemporary ambition as emerging artists from across the continent gather at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Carrara for YES Masterclass #4. More than a workshop, this Erasmus+ supported program represents a confluence of tradition and innovation, where chisels and 3D scanners are tools of equal importance.
What, then, does marble offer a new generation of sculptors? What can a material — mined, mythologized, and made sacred — still teach those who come to it with digital sensibilities and post-industrial perspectives?
These are the quiet but urgent questions embedded in the structure of YES Masterclass #4. Over five intensive days, students and teachers worked under the guidance of prof. U.J.Mueller and other mentors, learning not just how to shape stone, but how to listen to it. Hosted in the Padula Department of Sculpture, the program is set within the restored stables of Villa Fabbricotti, a place where 19th-century grandeur meets contemporary practice. Central to the experience is the Marble Postcard Workshop, where each participant is invited to engage directly with Carrara marble — to cut, chisel, polish, and ultimately discover. These practical exercises are enriched by immersive excursions, including a guided tour of Carrara’s Marble Quarries. Beneath the towering white cliffs, participants gain a visceral understanding of the material’s origins: the scale of extraction, the environmental implications, and the sheer physicality of the work involved.
Beyond technique and craft, the true value of YES Masterclass #4 lies in its spirit of connection. Here, students from Italy, France, Portugal, Latvia, and beyond come together not only to sculpt, but to exchange ideas, perspectives, and aspirations. Sculpture becomes a shared language — a medium of cross-border collaboration and cultural continuity.
Transforming raw “material” into an artwork is a process rooted in tradition and expanded by new techniques. But within the YES project, this transformation takes on deeper meaning. Participants are not only shaping stone, they are being shaped themselves, becoming active agents in what can be called social sculpture. This is not merely about form; it is about positioning oneself — both individually and collectively — within a broader artistic and life context, reaching beyond the habitual lines of creation.
To carve marble is, at its heart, to negotiate with time. It is to engage in a centuries-old dialogue, while making space for voices yet to emerge. In Carrara, the young sculptors of Europe are doing more than refining their skills. They are chiseling a future rooted in heritage, enriched by collaboration, and inspired by imagination.