United Kingdom
Peter Hayes
I have always been interested in the history of sculpture – why and how ‘things’ are made. This interest was extended after I spent several years travelling through Africa working with various tribes and being intrigued how, with limited technology and basic tools, they were able to get such exquisite, beautiful surfaces. I found the same inherent skills in India, Nepal, Japan and New Mexico. I tried to adopt the ideas picked up from my travels in my own work.
I have been working on large scale forms which I have placed in the landscape. My main aim is that the work should not compete with the landscape, but evolve within the environment. With the elements of time and erosion, the individual piece takes on its own developing surface.
Recently, one of these large commissions has taken me to India. My client suggested I make it on site. Now I have discovered Udaipur in Rajasthan. This has introduced me to other craftsmen and enabled me to work with a range of different materials, such as glass, Bronze, marble, stone and Damascus steel.
I find it joyful to work with many different materials. Each has its own character, its own limits, its own tolerance – some materials fight back, some play the game.
Finally I think it’s the material that is in charge and it will only let you make what it wants. It is my job to push it to its limits and somehow an equilibrium is made between maker and material.
I have been working on large scale forms which I have placed in the landscape. My main aim is that the work should not compete with the landscape, but evolve within the environment. With the elements of time and erosion, the individual piece takes on its own developing surface.
Recently, one of these large commissions has taken me to India. My client suggested I make it on site. Now I have discovered Udaipur in Rajasthan. This has introduced me to other craftsmen and enabled me to work with a range of different materials, such as glass, Bronze, marble, stone and Damascus steel.
I find it joyful to work with many different materials. Each has its own character, its own limits, its own tolerance – some materials fight back, some play the game.
Finally I think it’s the material that is in charge and it will only let you make what it wants. It is my job to push it to its limits and somehow an equilibrium is made between maker and material.
