CMU School of Drama


Friday, September 29, 2017

Dynamic Wire Art Sculpture of Fantastical Fairies by Robin Wight

mymodernmet.com: Artist Robin Wight, aka FantasyWire, uses design problem solving to create his fanciful collection of wire sculpture art. With a career in manufacturing, resolving practical issues is his forte, but the lyrical representation of fairies expresses his true artistic soul. “I try to apply design criteria,” he explains, “including a story, movement, some visual illusion, emotion and natural forces.” The results are enchanting pieces that add a playful touch to outdoor landscapes.

8 comments:

Vanessa Ramon said...

I love how art can be made so unique in every aspect, even the material used to express it is an artistic choice. I think this is a cool story because this man who saw himself as more mechanically minded saw art in the wire that makes fences and was able to make some very creative pieces. I think the magical quality of fairies is captured well in the tangled wire, giving it almost a hazy/ dreamy quality. The photographs taken of these pieces display them very well. The angle and use of light and dark help to bring the sculptures to life even more than they already appear based on their dynamic poses. I also think it is great that this artist is making starter kits for anyone who wants to try working with this wire. I would like to know if he has interest in working with other materials in the future.

APJS said...

This is truly inspiring. The imagery in the photos in this article is breath taking. I have worked a littler with wire art in the past month alone. I do understand what he means about it being a moldable metal. The shear detail in is work is extraordinary, the way you can see the enter muscle structure with his forms. I think my favorite photos are the ones taken in silhouette. These photos particularly look realistic and fanciful. I also love the topic of Robin A Wright. The idea of fairies works so well with the smooth texture from the wire. Although i must say, when ever I have worked with wire a smaller gages, I found it harder to make it smooth, yet really curvy and kinky-free. This has inspired me to want to work on a larger scale with wire than i have previously ever done. I cant wait.

Tessa Barlotta said...

Wight's work is absolutely beautiful. I've seen it around the internet before and I have always been struck by the movement and electricity present in the construction of each sculpture. He is also able to capture an organic texture and feel to the wire despite it being metallic or synthetic fibers. His use of multimedia is also cohesive and distinct at the same time. Each different piece is definitely part of the whole and yet creates an active world of texture. I also like how the artist never really puts full faces on the sculptures. It adds to the activity and nuance of the piece and "avoids the cliches" just as the artist hopes for. Though I don't think it quite captures "childlike whimsicality" he's looking for. The frenetic energy inherent in their construction and the postures that they are put into definitely evokes a playful quality but doesn't necessarily cause one to think of the innocence and carefree feeling he's going for.

Liz said...

Artists can really draw inspiration from anything in life. Who could have thought industrial-feeling steel wires can be composed in such a lively and artistic way? I always wonder how detail-oriented one must be to create wire art.

These wire sculptures are absolutely stunning with impressively intricate details and fairy-like spirits sparkling all over. The physicality of the female forms really delivers childlike whimsicality, playfulness and free spirit. I’m especially fascinated by the dandelions with some of the flower heads being blown by the wind and on the verge of drifting away in the sky. Images like this create the sense of motion and agility. The photography of these sculptures also help convey the message of free spirit, nature, energy and liveliness. A few of the close-up photos show us how complicated these sculptures are wired and how Robin Wight achieve the smoothness and spontaneousness of the forms of these fairies.

Madeleine Evans said...

I absolutely love these sculptures. The motion and life that they exude is simply breathtaking. It really goes to show you that you can create dynamic images out of any material. I'd love to see some of these in an installation around campus or a city and see how people interact with them. The fairies themselves are captured beautifully in these photographs, but I am also drawn to the backgrounds and how they sculptures change the landscape in such a dynamic way. Additionally, the concept of these sculptures and photographs, to "balance of the traditional childlike whimsicality with the aesthetic of a female form wrapped around an action type persona.”" is such a cool idea, and is executed amazingly well. I love the natural elements mixed in with the steel wires, and think this industrial whimsy is really magical in and of itself.

Emma Patterson said...

The juxtaposition between wire, an industrial material, and a fairy, an organic and gentle shape is gorgeous. I find his growth from a purely logical thinker to a practical solver who applies himself and his skill set to his art truly inspiring. I resound with his process of having an idea and working through a checklist-esque set of criteria to consider, such as movement, illusion, emotion, natural forces and a story. His work is incredibly detail oriented and you can feel the intention in each piece of his creations. His work is fascinatingly light and whimsical, especially knowing the detailed and careful processes he went through to achieve his final designs. The photography of these pieces is absolutely beautiful as well; he perfectly captures the movement and grace of his works. I really enjoyed the photos that focused in on the detail of the structures because you can see the fabulously detail oriented work he accomplished.

Unknown said...

The work done here by Wright is impressive to say the least, and his use of industrial elements to portray natural and fanciful forms is already putting interesting design ideas in my head. The sculptures are instantly both recognizable and alien, and make commanding use of materials, contrast, and scale. I am personally very interested in folklore and myth and their role in art and theatrical storytelling, so the unique contrast between the metallic wire and "whimsical" fairies is particularly fascinating to me. I'm a big fan of creature design and natural sculpture, and seeing unique approaches to both of these combined in a single artist's practice emphasizes to me a principle that I have come across again and again, in art and in theater: That the "boundaries" of art only extend as far as your will and imagination to break them. Seeing these boundaries broken yet again inspires me to go break some myself!

Nicolaus Carlson said...

Robin Wight’s work is astounding. I’m speechless just looking at it and the detail of his work. He clearly put a lot of time and thought into this. The setting in which he has placed them alone adds emotion to his work but the work itself is reminiscent of children in the sense of fantasy that they have. The motion they are put into, although exaggerated, adds to the effect so much. He makes each fairy different sizes and still captures the female body. It is quite amazing. He is quotes in describing his work and saying that he wants to “deliver a balance of the traditional childlike whimsicality with the aesthetic of a female form wrapped around an action type persona.” (Robin Wight) I believe that this is a very accurate description and one explains the feelings I receive when I look at these photos of his work. His work is leaving my speechless and I love it.