Everlasting petals of bronze
- Nic showcases South Africa’s biodiversity through bronze works
- His plants are chosen with consideration for conservation guidelines
- He has completed residencies in several ecologically significant areas
Nic Bladen transforms plant matter into bronze botanical sculptures through chemistry, precision and an intuitive respect for the environment. His journey with sculpting began when he met bronze sculptor Otto Du Plessis, whose foundry inspired Nic to leave behind a career as a dental technician. “I walked into his foundry and knew within 15 seconds that this was my story,” he explains. After working with Otto for a year, Nic opened his own foundry, collaborating with artists and sculptors, and experimenting with jewellery making. The first plant sculpture he cast was a Disperis, in a three-part mould. "Putting the plant together was my 'aha' moment," he says. Nic sees his sculptures as a form of cataloguing, as he creates plasters of Paris moulds that capture plants from root to flower. He has exhibited his pieces in both Cape Town and London.
Interview
- Does your craft teach you any lessons?
- It is easy to become boastful with a bit of success, but because I work with nature, I get put in my place all the time. The time that I spend in nature makes me realise I know very little. It is humbling.
- What is it like to be a botanical sculptor?
- There is a lot of hard, mundane work I have to plough through. It is like surfing: I paddle around most of the time, and sometimes I catch a wave. When I get one, it is amazing. The next day, even if I repeat the same steps that have led me to succeed, my plan can still fail. This is life as a botanical sculptor.
- What makes the human hand irreplaceable in your process?
- I do not think any sort of machinery will have the fidelity of transforming plant matter into bronze in the way that I do. I think I have a good, sensitive eye. In a field of a million plants, I do not always favour the plant that is in the best shape. I pick one that seems to have suffered a little, for instance one with a visible wormhole, it adds character.
- What impact do you hope for your work to have?
- By making observing my works, people start to notice plants more and look at them for their structural perspective, not their decorative form. I really want to work in a nature conscious way and have positive environmental impact. I can reach this goal by working with vulnerable or endangered species.
Nic Bladen is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2001
Where
Nic Bladen
