New Stainless Steel Artworks
The myriad qualities that make stainless steel so useful to industry (corrosion resistance, strength, cost-effectiveness, versatility, aesthetic appearance to name just a few) are also appealing to a diverse and ever-growing array of artists. In this edition of the BS Stainless blog, we'll be looking at three new works of art made using stainless steel.
Quadrilinear
Lee Simmons, an artist living and working in London, has made extensive use of stainless steel to create Quadrilinear, an imposing modern sculpture. Located at the busy junction of Marylebone Lane and Wigmore Street, the striking artwork stands at 15m in height within the frame of a modern office block.
To create the work, several stainless steel sheets were first to cut irregularly to create a jagged appearance. The sheets were then bolted together, creating a 'deep forest' of steel that, framed by brickwork, appears to be suspended within the building. From a distance, the sculpture appears to be flat but as viewers move closer they begin to notice subtle curvature. The artwork constantly alters in appearance as it reflects changing light levels.
DISCOrd#1 zip-tied
Farm Projects Gallery in Massachusetts, USA, recently welcomed visitors to an exhibition of new work by artist Bradley Wester. The intriguingly named DISCOrd#1 zip-tied is a collection of 'paintings' variously described as 'fun', 'joyous' and 'optimistic'. All of the works are created using non-traditional art materials and many of the pieces on display incorporate stainless steel zip ties.
Ouroboros
The most expensive piece of art ever commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia, Ouroboros is set to cost AUD 14m (around GBP 7.5m). Contemporary artist Lindy Lee has begun work on the massive sculpture, which should be finished and ready for installation by 2024. Standing at 4m in height and weighing in at 13 tonnes, the sculpture will depict 'ouroboros', an ancient symbol comprising a dragon or snake eating its tail.
Ouroboros will be made from stainless steel polished to a mirror finish and is cleverly engineered to require no internal struts for support. Sitting within a shallow pool of water, the sculpture will be pierced with hundreds of thousands of minuscule holes, allowing light to penetrate and create multiple constellations. Visitors will be able to walk inside the structure, which will be illuminated from within at night.
BS Stainless have proudly supplied stainless steel wire to several artists, including Candice Bees and Robin Wight. We commissioned Candice to create a life-size sculpture of a wolf using our stainless steel wire; the wolf has since become something of a mascot for BS Stainless and has accompanied us to various exhibitions around the world!
Check out the BS Stainless website to find out more about how stainless steel is inspiring artists to create fresh, bold and unique work.