I’ve long believed what an artist does with a material is more important than the actual material itself.
Transition, necklace, Nespresso capsules, gold
Nolia Shakti proves my point by mixing precious and non-precious materials – discarded Nespresso capsules and gold – in the pieces pictured here.
Louise, necklace, Nespresso capsules, gold
Sun, brooch, Nespresso capsules, brass, textile
Shakti, fascinated with the capsules that hold coffee for the Nespresso machine, deconstructs and repurposes the small, pod-like vessels. Part moving sculpture, part jewelry, all good.
It isn’t often that you see cows as the focus of an artist’s work for more than forty years. Stirring both praise and controversy, outspoken and passionate Miina Äkkijyrkkä continues to draw inspiration for her art from the cattle she raises in Finland.
The artist seated beneath one of her larger-than-life cow sculptures
Sculpture made of abandoned car parts and one of the artist’s models
The inspiration
Äkkijyrkkä studied at The School of the Fine Arts of Finland, the Dairy Farming School of North-Savo and the Equine College of Ypäj, and shares her passion for bovines through traditional sculpting, drawings, sculpting with scrap metal and more. The sculptures seen here defy reason – scrap metal that not only depicts a cow, but also suggests movement and an undeniable grace.
There is much to repair in the education of artists. If we want to put value in education, we have to do new things and open all the doors of this modern time. Electronic communication and the fast flow of media are tools that artists should be able to use. But always remember the inner fire. That is the most important thing. Without it, you are an amateur. Miina Äkkijyrkkä
You’ve probably seen articulated snake toys like these at some time in your life, but I’m fairly certain you haven’t seen what Jeff Soan does with the same articulation technique.
Elephant
Octopus
Soan’s sculptures, which he has been making for more than twenty years, are almost all made from found or reclaimed wood. His ambitious efforts have resulted in an array of creations including an elephant, octopus, camel and seal. Watch a short clip of the seal in action . The sinuous movement is captivating as the seal responds to touch, moving its head when stroked.
Seals
Torching the wood is one of the techniques he uses and enjoys, though he is quick to say that it doesn’t always work in his favor. He lost his entire studio several years ago to a fire that started when he torched a sculpture.
Camel
Border Terrier
Watch a three-part video of Soan creating a crocodile – the video quality isn’t great, but what a treat to watch the artist at work and listen to him explain the process. Here’s part one.
Using discarded plastic bags, Ireland’s Lesley Frew transforms a material that threatens to clog our landfills by layering, heat bonding, cutting, folding and stitching the bags into a material she can manipulate. The first necklace pictured here is my favorite. If she continues with the idea and color palette in that necklace her work will shift from fun and funky to sophisticated. I look forward to seeing more from this young designer/maker.
Inspired by the bits and pieces that make up machinery, Rod Mireau uses reclaimed wood and hardware to build “forms on the edge of recognition, forms that conjure a space between fact and fiction, past and present.” The sculptures appear to be both organic and engineered at the same time, leaving room for wide interpretation by the viewer.
