Output details
34 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
University of Ulster
Lady-Bird-Transformation (Mirage)
Lady-Bird-Transformation won an international competition for public sculpture in Korea, reputed to be one of the most significant global public sculpture competitions in recent years. The submission was blind peer-reviewed in a rigorous process that attracted 106 entries from internationally leading artists. It is unusual that such a commission was secured by a non-Korean.
Sander's research concept required the development of a way to realize the morphing of one form into another in 3D, and at a monumental scale. Sander developed an analogue transforming sculpture departing from his insights into how to meld 2D planes for transformative sculptures. The sculpture transforms from a striding woman into a sea gull in flight, depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The Busan Film Center boasts the world’s largest free-cantilevered roof.
The sculpture also changes its appearance incessantly through the LED lighting system that covers the entire ceiling overhead. The sculpture’s context is designed by world-leading architects Coop Himmelblau as the home of Asia's largest cinema event, the Busan Film Festival. Festival, building and sculpture were inaugurated by the President of South Korea, Lee Myung-bak. Conceptually, the work required research to resolve questions associated with light, colour and shape. This work was designed to develop a seemingly weightless sculpture and to connect the medium film with sculpture.
The process of inquiry also developed new technical solutions, such as the development of Styrofoam-cutting tools and coating methods. Casting stainless steel is a comparably new technology in fine art. Usually the surface of cast stainless steel contains holes from air bubbles. For this huge sculpture Sander developed a method to reduce the air pressure during the casting process, in order to reduce embedded holes. These new processes are now adopted as a standard in the field. A further major public commission for Titanic Quarter followed in 2013.
