The Pygmalion Project: Is there life in carving yet?

Join us and the City & Guilds of London Art School for an evening of discussion exploring the future of carving in the age of technological change. In this panel event, carvers Nina Bilby, Tim Crawley, and Rob Postle, together with art historian and Pygmalion editor Michael Paraskos, consider the challenges and opportunities facing hand-carving today.

From the impact of laser-guided cutting machines to other emerging technologies, we ask whether traditional wood and stone carving still has a place – and, if so, what shape it might take in the years ahead. With initiatives such as the Carving Takeaway and the Pygmalion Project opening up new conversations about carving for the first time in almost a century, is the craft on the threshold of a creative revival, or are we witnessing its final chapter?

Participants:Nina Bilbey is an award‑winning British architectural stone carver, sculptor and teacher, currently working on the restoration of Temple Church, and the co-founder, with Charlotte Howarth, of the Carving Takeaway, a podcast series on carving.

Tim Crawley is a celebrated British stone carver and sculptor whose work adorns major sites such as Westminster Abbey, King’s College Chapel, Temple Bar, Kew Gardens, and many more.

Michael Paraskos is a Senior Teaching Fellow in Art History at Imperial College London and visiting tutor at City and Guilds of London Art School. He is the founder and editor of the carving journal Pygmalion.

Rob Postle is a newly qualified carver, who graduated from City and Guilds of London Art School in 2024, and is building a career in carving through commissions and community projects at venues including the iconic West Norwood Cemetery.

Doors open from 6.30pm. Talk starts 7pm. The talk will last around an hour including time for questions.

Limited spaces available, booking essential. Tickets are available on a ‘pay what you can’ basis. Please choose the tier of ticket that is best suited to you. If the ticket price presents a difficulty, please get in touch with us at info@twotempleplace.org.

Please join the waitlist if the event is sold out. Purchase tickets through the checkout portal below. If you experience difficulty with the portal, you can purchase tickets on the Eventbrite page here, or book directly by emailing info@twotempleplace.org or phoning 0207 836 3715.

This talk is programmed as part of our Celebration of Makers. To see other events at Two Temple Place, please visit the ‘What’s On’ page.

For information on how to plan your visit, please check the Visit Us page.

*Please note that we are a small organisation. If you want to cancel your ticket within 1 week of the event, we can’t offer a refund but will try to transfer your ticket to a similar event in the future. If cancelling 48 hours before the event, we are unable to offer a refund or transfer your ticket. If you request a refund at any time, you will be charged a fee by Eventbrite.