Ben Foster: Momentum
Ben Foster - Momentum 2011
Ben Foster’s sculpture synthesizes Minimalist art practices and philosophies with a familiar Regionalist aesthetic. Foster’s forms, sinuous, flowing and monumental in scale, are motivated by the sublime land- and seascapes of Kaikoura, where the artist’s studio is set.
In his new work, Foster mounts an investigation of the symbiosis of the natural and the man-made. Turbine I is inspired by the turbines of hydroelectric generators in Central Otago, an engineered expression of man’s reliance upon the force of nature, and a symbol of our relationship with the natural world. This duality is reinforced by the kinetic nature of the work, which stands as both an autonomous art object and a responsive, mobile part of the environment in which it is installed.
Since his childhood, Foster has been fascinated by industrial components like propellers and turbines, and his large-scale sculptural practice reflects this interest. The elegance of utility endows Foster’s mechanical sources with an enduring appeal, and this beauty is captured in his work, where simple, minimal objects are rendered as archetypal representations of natural forces and forms.
Foster’s experimentation with metal casting began during his formal art education, and since then, having gained further experience in various areas of industrial design, he has gained many of the skills and material knowledge of an engineer craftsman, employing demanding, time-tested production techniques to create his monumental works. Turbine I is constructed from six identically cast aluminium panels, with each section flowing into the next. The result is a lithe, classically balanced form that seems to effortlessly meld the force of nature with the will of man.
Sanderson Contemporary Art, February 2011
www.sanderson.co.nz
www.benfoster.co.nz
Preview 5:30pm Tuesday 15 February 2011
Sanderson Contemporary Art
251 Parnell Rd, Parnell
Auckland, New Zealand
Ph; +64 (9) 374-4476
Social bookmarking
Member Profile
Ben Foster“My works are a culmination of the natural and the manmade
– a careful balance of form and motion.”The synthesis of natural and manmade elements is central to the sculpture of Ben Foster. His large-scale cast aluminium pieces combine Minimalist aesthetics with organic forms in work that is motivated by both contemporary art philosophies and structures from the natural environment.
Foster began working with metal casting during his formal art education and his expertise has developed through subsequent work in industrial design and fabrication. With this experience, Foster is able to employ many technically demanding production techniques to create his monumental works. Working from his Kaikoura studio, Foster constructs each piece from aluminium panels which are then welded, polished and sealed, creating confident and balanced forms. [Sanderson Contemporary Art - 2011]
Read more about Ben Foster: http://www.benfoster.co.nz/biography.html
