Artist of the Week: Sculptures Made of Glass by Ben Young

Artist of the Week: Sculptures Made of Glass by Ben Young

“The impulse for me to want to make sculpture is because I want to make statements, really, on a purely emotional level. And it’s also somewhat of a challenge to see how that can be done with materials and objects that really are not emotional, in and of themselves.”

– Arthur Ganson

 

Sculpture is beautiful, ancient and hard. Unlike other visual arts, such as painting or photography, it operates in three dimensions, making the end result different from every angle it is viewed.

Sculpture itself dates back to prehistoric times, famous examples being the small Venus statues, oldest of which is the Venus of Hohle Fels, dating back to 30,000 – 40,000 BCE. But the Western tradition of sculpting began in Ancient Greece, in the Early Bronze Age. Early examples of Ancient Greek sculpture were characterized by the use of marble to create small figures, usually female, in a simplified geometric style. Later on, cultures such as the Minoans and the Mycenaens further developed the art, by taking aesthetic queues from other civilizations.

However, it is not until the death of Alexander the Great, in 323 BC that the Hellenistic period began, which saw the creation of many famous works, such as the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Although it is Western styles, such as the aforementioned Greek sculptures or Gothic ones, that are most well-known, there are plenty of cultures from across the world that have developed their own styles, distinctly different from the Western ones. We have the famous Moai on the Polynesian island of Easter Island, which were build between 1250 and 1500, or the African masks, each different, depending on which country it comes from.

Sculptures have been made out of many materials, but in today’s article, we will be focusing on glass. Specifically, on the glass sculptures made by Ben Young.

Before we show you some of our favorite works of his, let us tell you a little bit about him.

Born in Waihi Beach, New Zealand, and having spent most of his life in North Island, New Zealand, Ben fell in love from a very young age with the local landscapes and surroundings. Also from a fairly early age, he picked up surfing (as you would expect one to do, living in New Zealand), and it is these two passions that play a great role in his works.

His first experience in working with materials came not from sculpting, but from boat building. It is during this time that he got inspired to begin making sculptures, so as to capture the raw power of the sea and the perfect wave.

His works seem quite simplistic, but the look of them is the only simple thing about his works. Each of them starts off as a hand drawing, and only afterward does the process of actually making it a 3D object begin.

There is no high-tech involved in his creations, either. Each sculpture is hand cut and handcrafted from scratch, making them truly one of a kind.

I do a lot of thinking before I even start to draw or cut,” the artist says, meaning that a large portion of his work is coming up with the look and feel of a piece before putting it on paper.

In describing the transition from paper to glass, Ben states:

I work with 2D shapes and have to figure out how to translate that into a 3D finished product. Sometimes my start point changes dramatically as shapes can be limited – I can’t create any internal right angles – so I have to find a way to layer the glass to create certain shapes.

It is this layering that gives his works their “stand out” look, and makes them feel dynamic. When asked about why he does it, he had this to say:

I love watching the two dimensional shapes evolve into three-dimensional creations and the different way the light plays inside the glass. I love the liquid qualities the glass brings with it. It enables me to play with lighting and watch the glass react.

Now, it is time we show you his works. We chose our favorites, and from our favorite angle, but you can see each sculpture from several angles, by clicking on the source link.

1. The Beacon

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In this piece, he does not only use glass, but concrete and steel as well. The end result is an absolutely stunning work, which is probably why it is also one of his best known.

2. Rough Waters

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Employing the use of concrete once again, this seems like a rather more minimalistic composition, when compared to the previous one. But the fact that it comes in two pieces, as the two “waters” are not physically connected, somehow makes this work -for us- more impactful. It kind of seems to say: “You don’t have to see the bonds for them to exist.”

3. Shore Break

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The waves themselves seem a bit symmetrical here, as opposed to the previous entries, who all look rather natural, but perhaps that is the whole point. If in the other entries you could see the concrete as actual land, here the greyness of it, combined with the fake looking waves, gives this piece an “industrial” air about it.

4. Born in a Storm

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Does this look familiar to you?

We have mentioned earlier that Ben is a keen surfer, and these first few entries on our list showcase just how passionate he is about the sport. He is absolutely fantastic at capturing the essence of the waves, and nowhere is it more obvious than in this piece.

5. Parallels II

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Part of a series of three sculptures, another of which will also feature on our list, this piece is a departure from Ben’s usual depictions of “waterscapes”, leaving interpretation entirely up to the viewer. The wave is still definitely there, as the sculpture kind of looks like the waveforms you get when analyzing a sound file.

6. Parallels III

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The third in the Parallels series, it is a great example of how the artist masters abstract art.

You can check out Parallels I by clicking this link, here.

7. Plucked

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Water no longer plays any kind of role in this piece. Instead, the way we see it, air -and perhaps even earth- is explored here.

8. Hidden Beginnings

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The first of two works depicting pregnancy, Hidden Beginnings is yet another departure from the styles explored in the first few entries on our list.

Although it is a powerful piece of its own right, the fact that it is photographed on a black background makes it all the more meaningful. It makes you think about how life must be perceived by all creatures, not just human beings, in its early stages, when there is no “outside world”.

9. New Beginnings

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If we were to choose our favorite based solely on aesthetic, then we would probably choose Hidden Beginnings. But if we were to factor in message and meaning into it, than New Beginnings has got to be the winner.

10. Oxygen

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Like the artist himself said, he loves seeing how light reacts with the glass, and light plays an integral part in this sculpture.

We have come full circle with this, our final entry, as it brings as back to the artist’s live for water.

That wraps up our article on Ben Young’s marvelous glass sculptures. If you want to check out more of his works, be sure to check out his website here, or by clicking the photo’s source links above. Also, don’t forget to leave us your thoughts on our article, or any interpretations you might have on Ben’s sculptures, in the comment section below.

About

Elena Simionescu handles PR for Pixel77 and Inky Deals. She takes marketing and social media pretty seriously and in her free time, she watches a lot of movies. Like a lot, a lot. Get in touch with her on Twitter and Google+.

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