Going big: casting life-size monuments

We've made some big stuff. The engineering involved in creating large artworks that create big impressions while maintaining perfection in the detail is something we're good at. It's exciting for us, and we love to bring these sculptures to life, both visually and physically. Every sculpture is unique, and this means the process of creation is rather thrilling.

This rendering of Helen Suzman was sculpted by Sarah Lovejoy for the National Heritage Project. A woman large in presence and small in stature, Sarah captured her essence artfully. We hand-cast this sculpture in panels, and then welded her together over three months in 2016. The patina was created under the artist's direction and the client's order to be subtly life-like. 

Also for the National Heritage Project, this monument of Alfred Xuma was hand-cast at our studios in 2016. The artist is Irvin Mkwananya, who lived and worked beside us as he created the original form in plasticine. We then moulded the piece with silicon rubber, and poured a wax replica around which we created a ceramic mould. At 1000 degrees, bronze was melted to liquid form and poured into the many panels which made up this impressive artwork. 

In 2014 we cast this life-size Wandering Albatross for sculptor Bruce Clements. With a wingspan of 3.6 meters, this was an exciting process and an engineering challenge which we relished. The bird balances on a wingtip on the wave crests. This piece demonstrates the strength of bronze supplemented with steel armatures. This striking creature currently cruises the thermals going through Grindrod Bank in Durban.