Client: Sculpture by the Lakes

Location: London, United Kingdom

Completion date: 2014

Artwork budget: $85,005

Project Team

Artist

Simon Gudgeon

Landscape Architect

Tash Granville-Abbott

Sculpture by the Lakes

Overview

To produce a figurative sculpture of a ballerina that would reflect the natural surroundings in a sculpture park – Sculpture by the Lakes in Dorset, UK.

Goals

This is the first time I have undertaken the human form in a sculpture and it has been a wonderful subject to work on. I love the sense of movement and the ability to convey emotion. It is also the most complex sculpture I have created; constructed from over 800 bronze leaves, each has been individually welded together to make the figure. The delicate latticework created by the leaves adds to the ethereal quality of the piece and allows her to blend in with her surroundings.

Process

The first stage was to create a maquette, which I did in a more traditional style, although with a contemporary and flowing base. However, for the life size sculpture I wanted to create something with a more ethereal quality that had a delicacy which reflected the elegance of the ballerina as well as the beauty of the performance. Creating a unique piece out of bronze leaves allowed me to convey those qualities and it is one of the most satisfying sculptures I have produced.