Iron Sculpture
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CONCEPT
 
 

My artwork is an attempt to express the “nature inside of me.” It is the abstract colors and forms that emerge inside me when I am in the presence of natural landscapes, such as the mountains or the ocean, and natural objects, such as trees and stones. Since encountering iron, a material that is primitive and has a strong sense of presence, during my time at university, I have been using it as a key material in my artwork.

Working with iron is not an easy process. Heating an iron bar or plate in a furnace at approximately 1200°, and striking and welding it to make an object takes a lot of energy and can be dangerous. However, the way the yellow iron melts in a flurry of sparks is so mellow, beautiful, and mysterious that I am constantly fascinated by it. The color and form of the “nature inside of me” appears for the first time in the world as a physical object, transformed into an iron sculpture. In addition, through the process of art making combined with the aesthetic experience, I feel a strong sense of being.

Finally, I hope to attach a specific concept to my artwork so that it fulfills an aesthetic function in our everyday living space. I believe that for humans to maintain the motivation to live fully, it is essential to encounter beauty, and to experience surprise and be moved by such encounters. My artwork is a process of contemplation to seek a kind of art that will stay with us, and illuminate our ordinary everyday lives.

Winter 2016

Kazutaka Shioi