Slate | Vortex
Vortex was created as a site-specific commission for a private residence overlooking a tributary of the River Thames in Marlow, Berkshire. Early conversations with the client revealed an appreciation for my earlier helical works, including Garrochar Twist and DNA of a Dancer, but with a clear desire for a sculpture that responded directly to water and movement within the landscape. Positioned beside a swimming pool with the river beyond, the brief called for a form that felt fluid, dynamic and rooted in its setting.
The resulting sculpture stands at two metres in height and is constructed in Welsh Penrhyn slate, rising from a polished Caithness stone plinth. Rather than directly referencing the structure of DNA, Vortex continues an exploration of rotational form, allowing the spiral to tighten, release, and reassert itself as it moves upward. The geometry is more concentrated and directional, echoing the pull and flow of water, while the layered slate surface catches light and shadow as the viewer moves around the piece.
Like many of my works, Vortex was technically demanding to realise, but deeply rewarding in its resolution. While conceived in response to a specific place and brief, the sculpture can be adapted to different scales and materials, and it represents an important development in my ongoing investigation into balance, rotation and the quiet energy held within sculptural form.
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