Sculpture Exhibition at the British Embassy in Dubai; The King’s Coronation Party

Sharing sustainable art with the King at KING’S CORONATION PARTY

The event will be held on the 11th May 2023 where Oliver Wellings and BS&R will be showcasing four original stainless steel sculptures made from repurposed automotive parts. There is a collaborative focus on sustainability between the UAE and Britain and the event will showcase this to 1000s of VIPs in attendance.

The automotive industry is notoriously challenging to justify working practices due to the well-known impact on the natural environment.

Each piece of artwork is a response to the need for industry change, a personality and artistic identity embodied by each piece. The sculptures are brought to life when you are face to face in real life and we are proud to have been included in the selections to exhibit at this prestigious event.

How do you select quality materials to reuse for the sustainable sculptures and where from?

The design process is one of the longest processes in making the sculptures. Each material item is carefully selected from our workshop to create the most effective and authentic sculptures.

The material comes from a high-end niche engineering company that specialises in unique and high quality automotive products. The design process often starts with me studying. This is usually focused on a specific animal the client has requested. This involves observing the movement, the form, the mannerisms and features of the animal to explore how this will translate from reality to artistic sculpture.

I then explore different used stainless steel shapes being used to find the opportunities that I can mold and transform into different aspects of each animal. For example, a thrusted blank is used to create wolf Shadow’s piercing eyes. A luggage rack that would normally be destined for a highly powered supercar now forms the foundations for the antlers to the stag sculpture, Buck.

How do you consider sustainable working practices in the building phase of the sculptures?

It’s not just the material we aim to keep sustainable, the process of making the sculptures is also key to lowering our global green footprint.

During the making of the sculptures, no extra tooling or machinery is used outside of the general running of the workshop. All the sculptures are handcrafted and made using one welding machine keeping our impact as small as possible.

Which sculptures have been selected for the sustainable exhibition?

We are proud of each of our pieces, not only because of the quality finish but also because of the sustainable approach taken in creation and sourcing of the materials. Each piece brings an individual presence beginning with ‘Shadow’. Designed from the largest wolf ever found, Shadow is the same size and weight as that wolf and hand crafted from upcycled 304 Stainless Steel.

The parts of the Stag Sculpture are entirely used automotive parts, including the antlers which are made from the luggage racks from Morgan Cars.

The Moonlight and Hedwig Owls capture the essence of Owls in two contrasting designs. Hedwig is from a small barn owl based on the Owl which Morgan Cars have in their museum which, in the 1920s, protected the cars when they were waiting in the warehouses. Moonlight is a mesmerizing display of artistic handcrafted design, showcasing this graceful bird that appears on a broken tree.