The Art of Stainless Steel
Recent editions of the BS Stainless blog have highlighted the work of artist Candice Bees, who uses our stainless steel wire to create stunningly lifelike sculptures of animals. Stainless steel is used as an artistic medium much more widely than you might think: this article looks at several stainless steel constructions around the world.
Sun Dial Sculpture
This stunning sculpture stands on Century Avenue in Shanghai, where it is one of the most recognisable landmarks. Welcoming visitors arriving at Pudong International Airport, the graceful sun dial stands at the centre of a large traffic roundabout and is surrounded by carefully-manicured lawns filled with colourful flowers. The sculpture was constructed from sheets and tubes of Grade 316 stainless steel.
Giant Fish Sculpture
Located in Shanghai's Nanhuizui Sea Viewing Park, this abstract sculpture depicts a carp (Chinese Li), a highly-symbolic creature that represents a dragon. The sculpture is made from numerous stainless steel tubes. As Shanghai has an aggressive coastal environment, Grade 316 was chosen as the material for the tubes because of its impressive resistance to corrosion.
Darwen Spitfire Memorial
This impressive monument can be found in Darwen, Lncashire, just a few miles from the BS Stainless headquarters. Darwen was the smallest UK town that financed a Spitfire aircraft during the Second World War and the Darwen Spitfire Memorial was built as a 'lasting reminder of the town’s contribution to the War Effort'. Costing around £175,000 and taking two years to be completed, the sculpture of the Spitfire has a wing span of almost 4 metres and stands at an imposing 6.9m high.
Blackpool Wind Shelter
Combining aesthetic appeal with practical value, this fully-functional wind shelter is prominently located on Blackpool's South Shore Promenade. The structure is designed to look like the tail of a whale and is inspired by the action of a weather vane. Standing on a large turntable, the 8m tall sculpture rotates with the wind, providing shelter to people sitting at the base. Duplex steel was the material of choice to build this unique sculpture.
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