Steps in the right direction...

5th March 2010

The Red Column is still taking shape as David Nash prepares new work for the huge exhibition that starts on May the 29th at Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

As there will be so many new sculptures made for this show it's not really a retrospective, although there will be around 300 works in the exhibition dating from the mid sixties right up to the present day. It's more appropriate to call this exhibition a 'Life Statement'. For the very first time we will be able to see the work the artist made as a student together with the work after the time that David Nash describes as "when I found my way". This will be a great opportunity to see, laid out before us, the development of the ideas that led to the creation of the art works throughout the career of one of the UK's leading artists.

In this exhibition at YSP we will be able to see how these art works exist aesthetically as sculpture, drawing and painting but also immediately accessible as wood that retains the characteristics of trees while at the same time resembling familiar wooden objects such as tables, spoons, chairs and steps.

This is the location in the Park where a permanent Nash sculpture will be placed. The work will be a series of black steps packed with coal reflecting the former industry in this region of South Yorkshire.

Charring the ends of the timbers that will make the steps. 

When each timber is completely charred the surface charcoal is scraped off.

The 'Lightning Strike' catches the afternoon light at it's temporary location in the background as the timbers are brushed after scraping.

The surface of each charred, scraped and brushed timber is then scorched. This toughens the surface of the timber.

The final treatment at this stage of the sculpture is to seal the remaining moisture in the timber by coating it with linseed oil.

The black steps are then stored ready to be put in place over the next two weeks. 

David Nash continues to work on Red Column. 

There are currently no comments