KEY EVENTS

Launch to student 12 March/12 noon Weston Auditorium

Master class led by Prof Simeon Nelson 18 March/1pm Lindop A161

Surgery for students if needed 26 March/9.30 to 12.30 Todd Building

Deadline for students proposals 30 March Handed in to main reception

Judging of the winner 6 April

INTRODUCTION

We are using the term ‘Public Art Prize, rather than ‘Sculpture Prize’ as we wish to make it fully inclusive of all practices and approaches. We want as many applications as possible from as diverse a range of students as possible from all programmes and year groups including pg.

The prize is generously sponsored by Birch Engineering, and is in the format of £5,000 worth of fabrication. http:/www.birchengineering.co.uk

The commissioned work should be of a scale and format suitable for an outdoor and/or architectural context. It should be made of a material that will withstand the elements. It must also be within the range of materials and processes that Birch Engineering work with.

REQUIREMENTS

The work must be durable, requiring little or no maintenance. It must adhere to health and safety standards and must not pose a danger to the public.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Students will be required to submit:

A written proposal of no more than 500 words using the following headings:

i) Concept/Relationship to Site

ii) Description of artwork

iii) Material

iv) Dimensions

v) Fabrication method (you are not expected to know precisely how it will be made but you must provide evidence of having considered this).

• A maximum of 3 x A3 drawings.

You may also submit a small-scale model, which should show the work in relationship to the site

• No more than 5 images of previous relevant work

• A current CV.

Deadline

3pm on Friday 30 March 2009

Proposals must be delivered to Art and Design Reception labeled as “UH Sculpture Prize Proposal” with your name and contact details clearly visible.

SITE

The prize this year is for a specific site -The New Student Forum currently under construction – see images at end of document. The site is a transitional zone between the architecture of the Forum and a belt of protected woodland. Proposals will need to work with the specificities of this site.

AIMS

- To encourage students to think how they might translate their jewellery, illustration, spatial design, painting, sculpture, installation or any other practice they may working within to a public and site specific context.

- To teach students creative and mental flexibility and to introduce cross-disciplinary practice.

- To give students an experience of a ‘real-world’ project within their studies

WORKING ON A PUBLIC ART COMMISSION

Working within the public art process is complicated and there are many potential pitfalls and challenges. A high proportion of public commissions do not reach completion for a large variety of reasons. Some reach completion but not to the satisfaction of the artist. The selected artist will be working with the Client – the Student Forum, the architect and landscape architect of the forum, the external sponsor-fabricator, Birch Engineering, UH Estates, who will be preparing the site for installation which could include amongst other things earthworks and concrete pouring.

Approach

Each candidate needs to think about how they will intervene with the already-there.

What is the nature of the site?

Which aspects of site do they engage with?

Is the artwork highly integrated into the site or is it in contrast to the site?

Managing a Public Art Commission – successfully transforming initial idea into finished product

Making the idea work with the site, what if you want to change something about the site?

Collaborating with the client, the architect, the commissioner and other design professionals.

Resolving problems

Keeping within the Budget

Making the idea buildable.

MATERIALS AND FABRICATION

You will need to work within the materials and fabrication processes that the sponsoring company, Birch Engineering works with. Materials include steel, glass and other metals. Fabrication methods include, cutting, welding and surface finishing.

INSTALLATION

UH Estates will supervise the installation of the work and any preparatory ground works.

RESOURCE

http://www.simeon-nelson.com

Client

http://www.herts.ac.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/studentforum.cfm

http://www.forumhertfordshire.co.uk/project/index.html

Please see the images below which show the background work done by Birch Engineering and the Public Art prize winner before the structured sculpture is installed.

Spiral Bridge

Site for Spiral Bridge

Spiral Bridge in Workshop

“The opening of Michael Vusumuzi’s Sculpture was on the 12/3/09 at the Dehaviland Campus of Hatfield University. In attendance was all the other entrance to the Competition as well as some VIPs from the University of Hertfordshire along with the stand in mayor and local councillor.  

The Sculpture was manufactured at Birch Engineering in Herts with the artist also accompanying the build. Raw components were sourced from a local Scrap metal merchants including Brake Discs Suspension and actual engine blocks that were stripped down to minimise weight issues. the design of the piece was created by the artist Michael Vusumuzi who is currently an arts student at the University.

 The specification of the piece was entirely at the artists own discretion and was judged by a panel.

Consisting of Simeon Lockhart Nelson. Patricia Bryan, John Proctor, and the former dean of Creative Cultural Industries.

All the Entries were of a high standard but one that stood out was a model of the tree that was created to scale by Michael. Along with what his interpretation of what the Lungs of the World are! Along with the model poems and other pieces of Artwork produced by Michael impressed the judges. And so was decided the finalist.

 The work commenced on the Art piece in Sept 2008 with the first production drawings being issued for manufacture of the leaf designs. Which were laser cut In house by Birch Engineering. Consisting of different sizes and design patterns each one varying in profile. The standard mounting of the design would be made of a spigot welded to a column with a support gusset made up. The actual engine mounts were custom built by BIRCH ENGINEERING. Along with safety cable attached to each piece.

 The design could not Exceed 350Kg and this was closely monitored throughout the design process. Once the fabrication was complete foundations were then designed and issued to the Estates department of the Herts University for construction. As well as an agreed location of the piece. They found that the Dehaviland campus was the best location. And subsequently was the first piece of artwork to be commissioned for the site since the Campus was opened.

Lungs of the world sculpture with Michael

From Left to Right VIP’s & Guests in this picture, see below:

VIP's & Guests unveil Lungs of the world sculpture

David Marques (Director Of C.U. Phosco),  Unknown, Steven Hymas (Project Engineer, Birch Engineering) Nigel Brook (Chair of the County Council) Michael Vusumuzi (artist) Chris McIntyre (Formally Dean Of Creative Cultural Industries), Jason Marques (C.U.Phosco Project Manager), Professor Simeon Lockhart Nelson (Associate Head of Sculpture at Hertford University), John Proctor (General Manager Birch Engineering) and Patricia Bryan (Project Development Officer and Arts Consultant).

Please see  below some more pictures from the unveiling of Lungs of the  World sculpture structure, build by Birch Engineers:

Cutting the Ribbon for the new sculpture stucture

Plaque for the new sculpture stucture

The Lungs of the world sculpture stucture

The Hertford University sculpture award, was won by  Micheal Vusamuzi Mlambo’s Artwork and developed and sponsored by local hertfordshire engineering company Birch Engineers!!!!

See below for a pictorial guide on how the Lungs of the World artwork was created by Birch Engineering:

Lungs of the world

 

 

 

Lungs of the world

 

Lungs of the world made by Birch Engineering

A TIMELY event yesterday marked the completion of the rebirth of the centre of a former mining village.

A six-metre high stainless steel artwork clock called Pulse was unveiled as the finishing touch to the Heart of the Village project at Sacriston in County Durham.

The clock, next to the village’s new community centre and landscaped surrounds, was created by award-winning sculptor and environmental artist Diane Maclean, who works mainly in stainless steel on a large scale. It replaces the clock on the village’s old community centre, which was demolished last April.

“In public consultation about the project what came through strongly was that villagers wanted a clock back,” said Grace Wallace, project officer with Groundwork North East, which has been involved in the venture.

“The clock is a very modern design and is the final piece in the regeneration jigsaw.

“The enthusiasm for the project among people in Sacriston has been fantastic. Everyone showed a real interest and the community is really excited to see a clock back on Front Street.

“The sculpture was created to allow the village to both celebrate its proud heritage and look to a prosperous future, and the scheme has been a resounding success.”

Diane Maclean's "Pulse" Art Sculpture built by Birch Engineering

 Article written by Tony Henderson, from The Journal.

The Sarcriston Clock being made by Birch Engineering after being commissioned by Diana Maclean.