Radical new sculptures use SKF precision balls

Using thousands of precision steel balls donated by SKF, Antony Gormley is creating a radical new collection of sculptures that owe much to engineering practices in their construction

While many engineers might find the appearance of a shiny new rolling bearing a thing of beauty, it would perhaps be stretching the point to describe it as art.

Antony Gormley, sculptor and creator of the famous Angel of the North, sees things rather differently.

Using thousands of precision steel balls donated by SKF, Gormley is creating a radical new collection of sculptures that owe much to engineering practices in their construction.

The use of engineering methods in sculpture is not new, indeed Antony Gormley's work has featured engineered structures from materials as diverse as iron plate to 18mm steel rods.

However, the use of the SKF steel balls in creating human forms is a new departure for the artist.

Gormley began with figures that were very densely packed with SKF balls, with the majority of the large bearings placed in the densely packed core sculpture and the smallest on the outside.

However, even in these early arrangements, the arrangement isn't entirely even with the occasional smaller bearing appearing in the core and vice versa.

He then moved on to figures that were merely a shell built from bearings and then to figures in which the ball bearings' sizes were spread evenly.

The method that Gormley uses to construct these figures begins with a plaster cast of a full body mould.

The next step is to slice off the back of the mould and build the bearing structure.

The balls are welded together so that the joins are partly obscured from the viewer's perspective but not entirely invisible.

The sculptures consist of human figures, some curled up in the foetal position, others standing up, staring outwards or with their heads pointing down.

Commenting on his recent work, Gormley said, "When I work with the human body I am not really concerned with the recognition of its functions.

I am much more interested in the space that the body is.

One's first relationship is with one's body and I want the figures to represent this relationship to space in a very physical way.

The use of the steel balls gives me this sense of physicality.

As my confidence in, and knowledge of, ball bearings has evolved I have found it is possible to rely on the welds to make the work stand together, rather than having to create an internal structure.

This has lead to more 'random' bearing arrangements and sculptures more representative of the body in a state of flux." Work is in progress and the sculptures are due for exhibition next year.

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