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Limited Edition
- Research
- Beers (NL) & Amsterdam (NL)
- September 2021 — January 2022
- Thanks to Miet Air
- Supported by J.r.Th. van den Berg
A series of bronze potatoes questioning value in relation to scarcity
I made these small sculptures during a residency at Miet Air in Beers. I went through the entire process from potato to mold to casting a wax model in plaster, all the way to the bronze sculpture. The bronze potatoes were exhibited in the snack display of the french fry stand.
A series of bronze potatoes
Around a real potato, I made a wax mold that allowed me to pour silicone into it
On the base of a real potato and clay I made the silicone mold. This I could use multiple times for new wax models
A real small potato and it's wax sister
The cast wax sculptures need to have air canals
The wax sculptures are placed in a cylinder, which is then filled with plaster
The plaster molds spend a day in the oven. The wax melts out
Bronze is melted in a special furnace at around 1000 degrees Celsius. Once it is entirely liquid, it is ready to be poured
Pouring bronze is heavy, dangerous, and toxic work
After the plaster molds are filled with bronze, they must cool for a day
Once the poured bronze has completely solidified and cooled, you can remove the plaster using a hammer
Due to air around the wax model, there can sometimes be bronze protrusions, which need to be manually removed
The most labor-intensive part is finishing the bronze sculptures: removing air channels and supports, welding closed any holes, and grinding off any excess material
If there are still some uneven spots on the bronze, it’s best to give them a good hammering
You can also use a hand file to smooth things out a bit
You can give the finished bronze a color by applying a patina. This process involves heating the bronze and inducing an oxidation reaction using chemicals