Relationship Between the Form of Sculpture by Welding of Iron and the Creator

Abstract

The period of modern history in which iron sculpture was born coincided with improvements in iron-making technology and the proliferation of iron materials brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Welding technology developed as a way of joining iron materials and was incorporated into sculpture techniques. Early iron sculptures had an industrial feel, as the iron materials were assembled by welding. This can be said to symbolize the technological innovations of that period. However, today, iron sculptures have become more diverse and do not necessarily reflect the same values that they did at that time. Of particular interest here are the relationships between the different forms of sculpture and their creators. The form is determined by the approach the creator takes toward the material of iron. Forms created through the technique of welding—as opposed to industrial technology—serve to bring out the natural qualities inherent in iron. This study examines primarily the writings of Yusuke Nakahara and Kenji Hoshino as well as considers the characteristics of sculptural expression achieved through iron welding, while reflecting on the author’s own works.