INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Sculpture artists gathered in Scotland on Sunday to compete for the weighty title of champion stone stacker, in a quirky
competition launched last year.More than 30 participants from America, Spain, Italy and from around Britain converged on Dunbar, near
Edinburgh, for only the second European Stone Stacking Championships.Competitors must create the most complex and gravity-defying artistic
sculptures from rocks and pebbles gathered on the town's Eye Cave Beach."(It's) the most ancient art form that there is," James Craig Page,
the fledgling contest's founder, told AFP.Despite stone stacking's lofty history, he traces the modern-day challenge to the creations of
Dunbar, Scotland (AFP)Stone stacking however has angered some conservationists who accuse enthusiasts of "rubbing out history" by removing
organising a more local event -- the John Muir challenge -- in 2016, which was billed as the first stone stacking competition of its kind in
1838 and became known as "the father of national parks" for his pioneering conservation work, which helped preserve the Yosemite Valley and
Sequoia National Park in the United States."That was so successful that we went on to create the European championships and to bring all
these wonderful artists from around the world to Dunbar," Page added.However, Page insists the professional artists take care to preserve
create the most complex and gravity-defying artistic sculptures from rocks and pebbles gathered from a local beach (AFP)Pedro Duran, from
Spain, was named European champion for the second year running for his stone archway, while James Brunt, 46, from the English city
Sheffield, won runner up for his intricate sculpture of a rollercoaster."I got into stone stacking when I saw somebody in the south of
using different materials, leaves, sticks -- whatever nature throws at me I'll use to make artwork with.(Except for the headline, this story
has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)Click for more trending news
