JUNO AT G-LIVE, GUILDFORD

(Figurative and Abstract Sculpture)

The sculpture was commissioned by Guildford Borough Council to commemorate the Olympic Torch Relay run through the town in 2012 and installed at the G-Live Arts Centre. I decided to make a life-size running figure carrying the torch. This figure would be constructed from welded curvilinear steel rods. The Guildford leg of the relay was run from the Cathedral to Stoke Park, I decided to use the exact linear map route of the relay to form the figure. I initially made the figure in plaster. Once the plaster former was made I decided where to divide the figure so the welded section would not lock to the former. I made three steel jigs of the road route, small, medium and large so I could now bend lengths of 6mm steel rod to a consistent curvilinear line. This line was then laid over the former and bent along various decided anchor points to follow the topography of the former below. When the next line was made they were welded together and the process was repeated until that section was completed. Eventually the whole figure was covered and the sections could be released from the former and finally welded together. At installation the figure was welded to the steel column and the Indian Limestone slabs were laid by Manor Landscapes Guildford.

Mild Steel and Indian Limestone.

H 340, W 70, D 90cm.

Royal Society of Sculptors