Social sculpture is a field of transformation and no-one is outside.

It is a place of questions.

Social sculpture is about the connection between inner and outer work.

It emphasises the role of imagination in transformative social process and the centrality of alternative modes of thought.

Social sculpture is about exploring strategies, methods and principles that enable us to see, to understand and to act imaginatively to shape a humane and ecologically viable world.

It is about perceiving interrelationships, joined up thinking and practice and enabling connective understanding.

Social sculpture is the philosophy, understanding and practice of freedom.

SOCIAL SCULPTURE TODAY
A great many people from different practices, disciplines and cultures are working towards a humane and sustainable way of inhabiting the world. The determination to transform the conditions and take our lives into our own hands is nowadays stronger than ever.

‘Social sculpture’ is sometimes used quite loosely to refer to any creative activity or work that is participatory and has a social intention or focus.

However, if social sculpture is also understood to be a new social order or formation, a ‘sculpture’ in which ‘every human being is an artist’, this widens social sculpture way beyond the field of art as we know it; beyond simply being another name for imaginative, socially engaged, participatory arts practice.

Because this ‘expanded conception of art’ is not simply any creative social action, but includes the way we think, as well as the political, economic and social forms connected to this thinking, this calls for an understanding and exploration of what is particular about social sculpture.

You can engage in this exploration with us through our projects, publications, social sculpture initiatives forum, seminars, graduate programmes and special events as well as through the opportunities to participate in, collaborate with and support the SSRU and the field.

THE SOCIAL SCULPTURE WEB-PLATFORM SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY

We have developed this social sculpture platform in order to:

• present practices and possibilities in the field of social sculpture and connective practices
• highlight transformative approaches that reconnect us to each other and the world
• contribute to research in this and related fields
• connect individuals and organisations that are working in this and related territory
• maximise the potential of our work and encourage collaborations

In the following sections of the website you will find short notes and references to publications about the nature and origins of the idea of social sculpture, as well as to perspectives on the different practices and methods in this field.