Hermann Obrist (1862-1927), known principally for his spiralling plaster sculpture, worked both in the applied arts and architecture, using motifs drawn from the structure of plants and shells. The remarkable plaster sculptures were shown in the UK for the first time at the Henry Moore Institute in the exhibition Hermann Obrist: Art Nouveau Sculptor.  This conference was organised in collaboration with Michael White of the University of York, and looked at the work of Obrist in the wider context of the development of abstract art.