Sculpture made using ancient technique wins prize

A sculpture crafted using an ancient construction technique and inspired by the sand dune landscape off the Wirral coast has won the annual Liverpool Sculpture Prize.

The cylindrical sculpture, named Laminae, was made using a technique known as rammed earth by West Kirby artist Benjamin Stephenson.

He said the piece reflects humanity's evolving relationship with the natural world, and will be on display on a plinth outside Liverpool Parish Church for the next year.

The 35-year-old said he was "ecstatic" his work had been chosen as the competition winner, and he was "grateful for the opportunity to create something rooted in the city's history and environment".

The sculptor said the prize was a "huge honour" and he hoped his work "connects with those who encounter it in unexpected ways".

He said: "This piece reflects my ongoing interest in the relationship between nature and time, drawing from the vernacular of materials such as earth, clay, and sand to speak of cycles and memory."

The Liverpool Plinth was first introduced as an arts space in the city in 2017 and has hosted sculptures including Gail Dooley's Tidal Shame, and Brigitte Jurack's The Boy with Knife Carnation.

The Liverpool Sculpture Prize is open to any sculptor working and living in the UK and is created and managed by Liverpool BID Company and Liverpool Parish Church.

This years' winner was chosen by a panel of judges from the artworld and Liverpool's business and civic communities.

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID said it was a "great opportunity" to showcase the best of the UK's contemporary art.

"Public art plays such an important role in our cities, and this is such a striking piece which brings a story of nature into the heart of a bustling city," he said.

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