Lunar Sunrise Installation
I am very proud to introduce my Lunar Sunrise piece. The Lunar Sunrise is an abstract mixed media installation group of four. The design conveys a simple beauty of form representing the birth of a new day through the sunrise, bringing with it new possibilities, hopes and dreams.
The inspiration for this piece developed from admiring the amazing sunrises and sunsets we are fortunate to see in our country. The graduated range of colours in them make them quite breath-taking. There is something special about sunrises and sunsets, they captivate us and give us time to reflect. Whilst researching areas around the world which boast some of the most impressive sunrises and sunsets, my attention was captured by images of lunar sunrises. A lunar sunrise is seen when the sun’s corona begins to become visible from behind the moon. At the very beginning stage of this process there is a wonderful contrast between the deep cold darkness of space and the warm brightness of the corona which increases to an array of colours as the sun continues to rise. I was captured by that initial contrast, there was such a beautiful simplicity to its form.
After many initial sketches I felt only an abstract design would enable me to focus on the beautiful simplicity of the contrast I found so captivating. As the design evolved I decided to extend the contrast beyond the colours and took the bold step of using different mediums within the piece. Polished aluminium sections were carefully selected to represent the sun’s life-giving energy and hand-thrown earthenware clay sections decorated with a black underglaze were chosen to represent the deepness of space.
As the design developed it was apparent that one piece on its own would not have been sufficient to represent the abstract lunar sunrise I was seeking. After many experiments I decided that four pieces were needed. They created a stunning effect. When the pieces are placed in a certain way and viewed from a particular distance the lunar sunrise comes to life.
During my research for this piece I could not find examples of ceramic and metal being combined together to create the structure of a vessel. It is always exciting to work in new ways.
Some of the challenges in the creation of this piece were the need for fine tolerances in the clay sections, anyone who has worked with clay will know how difficult it can be to produce the exact same shape and size every time. A further challenge was to deconstruct the clay piece and create a structure that enabled the clay and aluminium sections to fit together to create the abstract effect I was seeking. I would like to thank my friend, a local engineer, for his attention to detail and patience.
The Lunar Sunrise piece is an installation group of four. The size of the small piece is 5.5” (height) x 4” (width) the size of the medium piece is, 12.5” (height) x 3” (width) and the two large pieces are 16” (height) x 5.25” (width). Each piece is numbered 1 – 4. The recommended retail price for the Lunar Sunrise installation is £8632.
