tom wilkinson
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Spirit Spirit
   

Spirit

Spirit was made for the Magna Science Adventure Park in Rotherham S. Yorkshire. Magna was built in a colossal converted steel mill and received the Building of the Year award, 2001. Magna is an incredible place - it's built within the old steel works, a building so vast it dwarfs two Chartres Cathedrals. I chose that building as ametaphor because the place is a spiritual monument to the steel industry of the area.

I made most of the sculpture actually in Sheffield where I had the privilge of working with and meeting so many skilled and knowledegable people in the fabrication of stainless steel. Spirit took the same mechanism as Light Wave but transposed the undulating motion to the vertical. It has the additional dimension by being made hollow creating internal pattern, especially when the sun is overhead.

Sadly this sculpture ceased to work after eight years of continuous operation, due to a snapped drive belt. Even more unfortunate is that there is no will on Magna's part to restore the sculpture, for waht would be a day's work and a few pounds.

5m x 2.5m x 2m stainless steel and electric motor

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Spirit