If It's Hip, It's Here (Archives): sculpture

Showing posts with label sculpture. Show all posts

The Lovefish Tank by Dean Zeus Coleman (and How It Was Made).

Artist Dean 'Zeus' Coleman likes to create unusual fish tanks* as well as compelling 3D Graffiti sculptures and other wonderful fine art. His latest is the Lovefish, a tank made of heated and curved glass pieces that literally spell out the word LOVE.

11 suits of armor, each measuring 1.6 meters tall and made of transparent glazed porcelain, flank the public area of the Provincial building in Leeuwarden. Designed by Hans van Houwelingen in collaboration with Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum who produced the pieces, the 11 porcelain knights were part of a triptych of works commissioned by The Province of Friesland whose common theme involves the relationship between art and politics at a time when they seem to be moving further and further apart. The project is named Mecenaat Provinsje Fryslãn.

In the public area of the new Provincial building eleven suits of white porcelain armor with closed visors stand proudly on eleven consoles. Stately, conservative, self-assured and fragile, each bears the coat of arms of a Frisian town on its cuirass.

A suit of armor made of porcelain is like Frisian tradition, which preserves the people but at the same time makes them vulnerable. Tradition protects, but is also society's Achilles heel, just as porcelain can last a thousand years or be shattered by a single blow. Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum produced the numerous components of these suits of armour.

This commission has once again enabled Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum to showcase its traditional craftsmanship and expertise in ceramics. Hans Van Houwelingen is quoted as saying “I am very impressed by Makkum's craftsmanship.”

above: Hans van Houwelingen inspects an actual suit of armor for inspiration

Creating and producing the pieces:

About Hans van Houwelingen
Hans van Houwelingen (1957) was educated at the Minerva Art Academy in Groningen (Netherlands) and at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam. His work is internationally manifested in the form of interventions in public space, exhibitions, lectures and publications, in which he investigates the relations between art, politics and ideology. He has created various exhibitions and permanent installations in public spaces. He publishes regularly in newspapers and magazines. The monograph Hans Van Houwelingen VS. Public Art: Stiff (Artimo, 2004) offers an overview of his projects and texts and an extensive reflection on his work. The publication update describes the permanent update of the Lorentzmonument in Arnhem (NL) during the exhibition Sonsbeek 2008. Hans van Houwelingen's Undone was published, presenting nine critical reflections on three recent works. Van Houwelingen lives and works in Amsterdam.

images courtesy of Hans van Houwelingen, Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum and Vormen uit Vuur

The Incredible Whimsical Steampunk Sculptures of Stephane Halleux.

You may not be familiar with the name Stéphane Halleux, but if you saw the Oscar-winning animated short, Mr. Hublot, you've already seen some of his work. I'd been following his talents for awhile and was thrilled with the recognition Mr. Hublot received at the 2014 Academy Awards.

Stephane crafted the main character for Mr. Hublot, whom he affectionately called "Mr. Cinema" during his construction:

It was Halleux's steampunk sculptures that caught my attention about a year ago. An incredible imagination coupled with craftsmanship, unique materials and a dose of adorable make me want to buy every single one. In the over 20 sculptures of flying soldiers, controllers, winged men, robots and vehicles shown below, you can see which ones served as the inspiration for the character. Take a close look at the finely crafted details - the leathers, metals, goggles, buttons, suitcases with plaques, working levers, spinning propellers, functioning wheels and more.

Stephane's sculptures as they appear in galleries:

Stephane has been sculpting since 2005 when he first began to create the fabulous universe he’s still developing to this day. He studied at the Saint-Luc Institute in Lièges (Belgium) before working as a model maker and coloring for the animation business.

above: in the images of Stephane with some of his pieces, you can see the scale

In addition to his sculptures, Stephane embarked on an amazing steampunk video game, The Dead Flowers Case, produced by Mando Productions in Paris, France. They were seeking funding for the game on Kickstarter last year, but the campaign was cancelled in November 2013 for reasons unknown. For updates on the status of The Dead Flowers Case, they suggest you stay up to date on the Facebook page.