Slate | Column
Column was created in 2020 as a natural extension of my earlier explorations of stacked slate and rotational form. The column is an archetypal, architectural structure associated with strength, support and permanence. Here, that familiar form is subtly altered through rotation, introducing movement and torque into something traditionally static.
Standing at approximately 2.4 metres in height and around 42 centimetres in width, the sculpture incorporates a total rotation of 450 degrees through its length. Proportion is central to the work: the relationship between height, width and rotation is carefully balanced so the piece retains its vertical authority while gently challenging expectations of stability.
The sculpture is formed from thin layers of black slate, each piece shaped and stacked by hand. The stratified material accentuates the rotation, with light and shadow revealing the changing geometry as the viewer moves around the work. From a distance, Column reads as a single entity. Closer inspection reveals the labour and variation embedded in its surface, where the making itself becomes a source of intrigue.
The sculptural language relates closely to my earlier light sculpture at Auchindoune House, created in 2013, where a similar stacked and twisting approach was explored. Column can be seen as a continuation of that, allowing the supporting form to exist independently as sculpture.
Shown here installed at a private property in Provence in the South of France, Column sits within a landscape of olive trees and cypress. The strong vertical rhythm of the planting reinforces the sculpture’s upward force, while the natural irregularity of the setting offsets the precision of the stone.
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