Monday 27 July 2015

When Aluminium Sculpture Art Was More Expensive Than Gold!

Aluminium Sculpture artThe first step in extracting aluminium was made by the famous Paracelsus in the 16th century. From alums he separated an aluminous soil which contained the oxide of a then unknown metal. Then, Andreas Marggraf, a German chemist, in the mid 1800's repeated the experiment. He called the aluminium oxide ‘alumina.’ From then on it became a widely sought after metal.
Interestingly, aluminium was very rare and precious before an industrial method of production was discovered. It was even more expensive than gold to produce. So, it is not surprising that aluminium was mostly used for jewelry and other luxury articles for the royal families of Europe. Jewelers using this pricy metal particularly liked the shining silvery metal and its exceptional flexibility.

Aluminium Sculpture Art for the Masses

The inexpensive method of producing aluminium was discovered by Hall and Heroult in 1886, and changed the metal’s role in everyday life. At the turn of the century the new material left the court chambers and started to appear in the streets. The non-corrosive metal was very well-suited for city, park and garden sculptures. Sir Alfred Gilbert, the late 19th century celebrated British sculptor made his famous statue, Eros, from aluminium. It is still in Piccadilly Circus and is deemed a London landmark.
Aluminium sculpture art is becoming more and more popular for a couple of reasons:
  • It is cheaper than bronze casting.
  • It is highly corrosion resistance.
  • It is lighter than bronze which makes installation easier, especially for monumental sculptures.
Come see for yourself
Bottom line- it behooves every sculptor, no matter their specialisation to attain a basic familiarity with aluminium. As it behooves every sculpture lover to come over to our Gallery and look at the many ways aluminium sculpture art can be imagined. You will be delighted with what you see.  Call us now for an appointment on 0(3) 9824 5555 or fill out the contact us form.  If you have any questions about aluminium sculpture art, our Sculptura team are experts and would love to hear from you.
Sculptura® is Australia’s leading supplier of sculptures, sourced globally from world class sculpture artists.
With a focus on metal and stainless steel sculpture art, we provide sculptures of exceptional quality that are both a visual and financial asset. Our extensive range  includes sculpture by world renowned artists and pieces that vary in size, style and investment value. Sculptura® has sells sculptures  in various materials including:

Thursday 9 July 2015

Stainless Steel Sculpture Art by Sculptura®

stainless steel sculpture art

Unlike steel and iron, which have been around for more than a thousand years, stainless steel is the new kid on the block in the world of metallurgy, having first been produced only 100 years ago. This may seem hard to believe, given how prominent it is in almost every facet of our lives.  But this simply emphasizes what an important breakthrough stainless steel was. It has revolutionized almost every industry, from healthcare to catering equipment, to the automotive and construction industries, and of course to stainless steel sculpture art.

who invented stainless steel?

As with many major inventions, there is dispute over who invented it, but for our purposes we are going with a gentleman by the name of Harry Brearley from Sheffield, England. He called his new metal “rustless steel”, as that was what he was after. The date was June 4, 1912. Two months later, on August 20, 1912, stainless steel was cast for the first time.
The secret to the success of stainless steel lies in its incredible physical and chemical properties. It is highly corrosion and heat resistant. It is formable, weldable, durable, and as we now understand it does not rust.  So of course, artists jumped on the stainless steel bandwagon.
The many benefits of Stainless Steel Sculpture Art

let’s count the ways!

It’s only been in the last 50 years, that stainless steel sculpture art has become commonplace. For many sculptors it is their primary material. Artists just could not ignore all its benefits. It lends itself to large-scale work, but rewards hand detailing as well.  It requires virtually no care to retain its dazzling finish. It is ideal for outdoor settings, where its brilliance is reflected by the sunlight.   Bottom line- it behooves every sculptor, no matter their specialization to attain a basic familiarity with steel-working techniques. And it behooves every sculpture lover to come over to our Gallery and look at the many ways stainless steel sculpture art can be used and imagined. You will be delighted with what you see.
Call us now for an appointment on (0)3 9824 5555.  If you have any questions about stainless steel sculpture art, our Sculptura® team are experts and would love to hear from you.
Sculptura® is Australia’s leading supplier of sculptures, sourced globally from world class sculpture artists.
With a focus on metal and stainless steel sculpture art, we provide sculptures of exceptional quality that are both a visual and financial asset. Our extensive range  includes sculpture by world renowned artists and pieces that vary in size, style and investment value. Sculptura® has sells sculptures  in various materials including:

stainless steel information