23:41
Faizan
The Kelpies as they are known are a pair of towering horse heads, which were designed by Glasgow sculptor Andy Scott as part of a canal renovation near Glasgow. The monuments were designed intentionally with the industrial aesthetics of Glasgow and Falkirk in central Scotland in mind, with structural columns and beams visible through the riveted laser cut steel plates of the skin. The manes are rendered as geometric, overlapping slabs of steel. Recently completed, the two structures will be illuminated both inside and out, to create a stunning spectacle in hours of darkness.
Andy modeled his work after local Clydesdales horses. It is this theme of working horses that captured Scott's imagination and drove the project.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with sculptor Andy Scott who took the time with me to discuss his sculpture which towers over the Scottish countryside. Andy describes his technique.
I mentioned that there are very few artists throughout history that think in the large scale that Andy does. I wondered if it must be a genetic gift.
Andy replied, "You know a lot of my pieces may look quite similar, but with every one that I am doing I'm pushing the technique a step beyond where I was before. That play of light coming through, it is very important to me. Usually when I'm making these things, I make a linear three dimensional drawing, and then I clad over the top of that. Sometimes it would be easier to just completely encase it. But for me there is a tremendous thrill and pleasure and challenge in actually leaving parts of the sculpture exposed and completely transparent. It allows that play of light; the way that the atmosphere works with it and various other unexpected delights come along as part of that.
"Also if I'm honest, I think it lends itself to a kind of an air of distinctive appeal as it is very unusual. While by no means unique it is quite an unusual technique to use.
I mentioned to Andy that that I read about how he had constructed two smaller maquettes of his pieces and that they were transported to Chicago and displayed on a site overlooking Lake Michigan this past year. Andy elaborated, "They are no longer in Chicago. They moved to Purdue University in Indiana. Judy Jacobi asked me if should could have them for a while and I was delighted to say, 'Yes.'
"We took them there in August. Purdue will host those sculptures until next March, and then in March they are going to go on exhibit in Bryant Park in New York City. So it is a tremendous thrill to not only have them at Purdue, but as you know it is a very rural and very open area so seeing the equine statues sitting there will create a lovely vista in front of the main campus building. The next venue is almost the exact opposite -- sitting in the midst of a great city amongst all the buildings. I'm looking forward to that. It will be a challenge in some ways, but a great chance to showcase them.
"To go back to the mechanics of it, I made two sets of maquettes. The ones that are in the States right now are the second of the two. They were the ones that were scaled up to be the full-sized objects for construction here in Scotland.
"From day one I was in league with some fantastic engineers. One in particular, a chap named Nick Cooper, is an absolute genius. He told me that my objective should not be to worry about the engineering, but make it pure in terms of sculpture. His job was to do everything he could to effect or not to damage or deviate from my artistic intent. It was an amazing scenario to have. It wound up costing considerably more than it may have, but the engineers were incredibly adept at following my vision to make these things as sculptural and equine as possible.
Andy modeled his work after local Clydesdales horses. It is this theme of working horses that captured Scott's imagination and drove the project.
This is the second part of a two-part interview with sculptor Andy Scott who took the time with me to discuss his sculpture which towers over the Scottish countryside. Andy describes his technique.
I mentioned that there are very few artists throughout history that think in the large scale that Andy does. I wondered if it must be a genetic gift.
Andy replied, "You know a lot of my pieces may look quite similar, but with every one that I am doing I'm pushing the technique a step beyond where I was before. That play of light coming through, it is very important to me. Usually when I'm making these things, I make a linear three dimensional drawing, and then I clad over the top of that. Sometimes it would be easier to just completely encase it. But for me there is a tremendous thrill and pleasure and challenge in actually leaving parts of the sculpture exposed and completely transparent. It allows that play of light; the way that the atmosphere works with it and various other unexpected delights come along as part of that.
"Also if I'm honest, I think it lends itself to a kind of an air of distinctive appeal as it is very unusual. While by no means unique it is quite an unusual technique to use.
I mentioned to Andy that that I read about how he had constructed two smaller maquettes of his pieces and that they were transported to Chicago and displayed on a site overlooking Lake Michigan this past year. Andy elaborated, "They are no longer in Chicago. They moved to Purdue University in Indiana. Judy Jacobi asked me if should could have them for a while and I was delighted to say, 'Yes.'
"We took them there in August. Purdue will host those sculptures until next March, and then in March they are going to go on exhibit in Bryant Park in New York City. So it is a tremendous thrill to not only have them at Purdue, but as you know it is a very rural and very open area so seeing the equine statues sitting there will create a lovely vista in front of the main campus building. The next venue is almost the exact opposite -- sitting in the midst of a great city amongst all the buildings. I'm looking forward to that. It will be a challenge in some ways, but a great chance to showcase them.
"To go back to the mechanics of it, I made two sets of maquettes. The ones that are in the States right now are the second of the two. They were the ones that were scaled up to be the full-sized objects for construction here in Scotland.
"From day one I was in league with some fantastic engineers. One in particular, a chap named Nick Cooper, is an absolute genius. He told me that my objective should not be to worry about the engineering, but make it pure in terms of sculpture. His job was to do everything he could to effect or not to damage or deviate from my artistic intent. It was an amazing scenario to have. It wound up costing considerably more than it may have, but the engineers were incredibly adept at following my vision to make these things as sculptural and equine as possible.
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