"Sacrifice" – A Monumental Public Art Commission on the Isle of Man
Sacrifice is a striking public art installation commissioned by a distinguished business on the Isle of Man. The sculpture combines the resilience of stainless steel with the warmth of copper, featuring a life-sized bronze Christ figure suspended at its center. The work stands at an impressive height of approximately 3 meters, excluding the plinth, creating a powerful visual impact.
The creative process behind Sacrifice was a journey of meticulous craftsmanship and innovation. The central hoop, constructed from grade 316 stainless steel, was custom-rolled in my workshop, The Sculpture Barn, into large hoops reinforced with cross beams to ensure structural stability. Each hoop was carefully drilled by hand before being clad and riveted in sheet copper, adding texture and warmth to the piece whilst hiding the internal structure.
The Christ figure was sculpted in clay to allow for experimentation with the composition, capturing the depth of sacrifice, pain, and suffering. My aim was to evoke the emotional essence of this monumental figure, making it appear as though the sculpture is looking directly at the viewer from beneath. Once satisfied with the clay model, a mould was created using rubber and fiberglass, with the assistance of a skilled friend. The mould was then taken to Le Blanc Fine Art Bronze Foundry, where the figure was cast using the traditional lost wax technique.
After the pieces were cast and welded together, I returned to the foundry to apply the patina, ensuring the surface achieved the desired effect. This process allowed me to refine the final texture and finish and was great fun.
With all components complete, we ensured they all still fitted together and spent nearly a week packing the sculpture and preparing a custom crate for its journey to the Isle of Man.
Given the complexity of the installation, the client requested my team’s presence to assist with the assembly. With the support of the client’s site team, the installation was completed seamlessly. Due to the challenging site conditions and extreme weather, the sculpture can be securely anchored with removable cable supports to ensure its stability when the weather is at its worst.
The finished result is nothing short of spectacular. The client, who is building an impressive art collection, was thrilled with the outcome. Sacrifice has become a defining piece of their collection, and it was an incredible honor to bring this vision to life. I look forward to creating more life-sized bronze sculptures in the future.