Being able to take advantage of bending metal is probably one of the most important advances of technology so far. Without this ability many of our other advances would not have been possible.
But being able to bend metal pipes can be used for more than consumer products and technological advancements. Just like many artisans have been doing for hundreds of years, metal bending can also be turned into artwork.
Many popular pieces of outdoor artwork in America use metal bending, here are the top five pieces:
1. Rattlesnake Bridge - Tucson, Arizona
Completed in 2002 the Rattlesnake Bridge is made to look like a 280-foot long diamondback rattlesnake. At 11 feet tall and 14 feet across this pedestrian bridge provides access to downtown Tucson from its eastside. The bridge was designed Simon Donovan, a local artist, and it has received numerous awards from various organizations. On one side of the bridge pedestrians enter a between the fangs of a huge snake head, with eyes that light up at night, and the other end has a giant rattle sticking straight up in the air, which contains a motion sensor that triggers a rattling sound.
2. Big Rig Jig - Current location unknown
Originally built in Oakland, California by New York sculptor Mike Ross, the Big Rig Jig made its first appearance at the 2007 Burning Man festival in the Nevada Desert. The Big Rig Jig is comprised of two curved 18-wheeler steel tanker trucks and stands four stories high. Since Burning Man the Big Rig Jig has been featured at a number of different festivals, but it has yet to find a permanent home.
3. Wake - Olympic Sculpture Park - Seattle, Washington
Created in 2004 by sculptor Richard Serra, Wake was installed at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, Washington in 2006. Wake consists of 5 separate wave-like steel sculptures that stretch 125 feet through the park and weigh in at 300 tons. Sculptor Richard Serra once worked in a steel mill and is known for creating simple forms on a grand scale.
4. Cloud Gate - Millenium Park - Chicago, Illinois
Constructed in 2006, the Cloud Gate is a public art sculpture that is located in Chicago's Millenium Park. Designed by British artist Anish Kapoor, the Cloud Gate is comprised of 168 stainless steel plates that are polished to a point where there are no visible seams at all. Weighing in at 110 tons and standing 66 feet high visitors are able to enter Millenium Park through the Cloud Gate's 12-foot archway.
5. The Big Sweep - Denver Art Museum - Denver, Colorado
Installed in June of 2006 at the Denver Art Museum in Denver, Colorado, the Big Sweep is a colossal broom and dustpan standing at 31 feet and 4 inches in height. It is made from bending stainless steel, aluminum and fiber-reinforced plastic and finished off with polyurethane enamel. The installation was inspired by the work of local sanitation workers who were sweeping trash into dustpans as part of a campaign to keep Denver clean.
As you can see metal bending can be used for more than just the products we buy or the places we live. Metal bending can also enrich our lives through culture and art.
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