55 Years of the International Sculpture Symposium in Marble – "MARBLE" (2018)
A legacy carved in stone since 1963
In July 2018, the Center for Contemporary Art – Prilep marked the 55th anniversary of the International Sculpture Symposium in Marble – "MARBLE", one of the world’s first symposiums of its kind. Since 1963, this prestigious program has brought together 164 sculptors from around the globe, contributing to a monumental heritage that defines Prilep as a city of culture and stone.
In July 2018, as part of the Art Summer CSLU-Prilep, a milestone was celebrated: 55 years of the continuous existence of the International Sculpture Symposium in Marble – "MARBLE", founded in 1963 in Prilep. This unique event is one of the oldest international sculpture symposiums in the world, standing proudly alongside the global movement initiated by Karl Prantl in Austria in 1959.
The jubilee celebration on June 29th, 2018, honored more than five decades of sculptural excellence and cultural exchange. The symposium brought together artists Giuseppe Strano Spitu (Spain), Marina Stoponja (Croatia), Tatjana Karavelic (Serbia), Milija Stojanovic (Montenegro), and David Atanasoski and Nikola Smilkov (North Macedonia), the latter also serving as part of the organizational team of the 55th edition.
From its beginnings, the "MARBLE" symposium has hosted 164 sculptors from over 25 countries – including Italy, USA, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, and Israel – all working with white Sivec marble, a globally renowned stone originating from the Prilep region.
This jubilee highlighted the power of international artistic collaboration, the preservation of sculptural tradition, and the growing influence of cultural identity through public monuments. For over five decades, monumental artworks created at the symposium have enriched public spaces in Prilep and beyond.
