Majestic steel sculpture unveiled
A stunning new piece of artwork has recently been unveiled in Chelmsford, Essex; Matthew Lane Sanderson is the artist, and the sculpture was hot dip galvanized by Joseph Ash Telford, protecting it from corrosion for decades to come.
Sanderson’s sculpture at Beaulieu
A new housing development has been built in Essex, in an area just north of Chelmsford. The development is called ‘Beaulieu’ and it will eventually include over 3600 new homes, playgrounds, a railway station, commercial areas, and parkland.
The development has been built by Countryside and L&Q, who also wanted to include sculptural and functional works of art in the landscape to tell the story of the land’s previous Tudor owner, King Henry VIII, who had a palace and a deer park there.
The development partners chose a series of talented artists, and Matthew Lane Sanderson – a ‘Big-Art’ sculptor from Herefordshire – was commissioned to create one of the pieces of art.
For the commission at Beaulieu, Sanderson created a spherical sculpture, with an intricate design, that depicts a regal reflection of a stag under a tree, set on a reflected crown base. The statue is made from six tonnes of steel and zinc and is ten metres high. The artist has also inscribed a poem into the base which reads as follows:
“All things held in one small globe,
Spinning eternal in endless strobe.
Plants, water, animals, light.
Future, past, day, night.
All is balanced on everyone’s crown,
In every country, in every town.”
The sculpture has a special place in the Beaulieu development as it stands proud at the entrance to the new housing estate/town.
Sanderson said of the sculpture: “This work of art shall forever mark the status of this place both past, present and future. It is a symbol that not only conveys the beauty of natural form, but the hope we all share for balance in all things.”
Joseph Ash Galvanizing and Matthew Lane Sanderson
Sanderson is well-known to Joseph Ash Galvanizing as he regularly asks us to protect the finished sculptures with a galvanized finish. A galvanized coating on steel protects the metal from rust and enables it to be protected from the elements for many years to come.
Sanderson has previously asked Joseph Ash Galvanizing to hot dip galvanize works of art including ‘Conduct’ at Solihull School.
He has been consistently pleased with the professional service and level of quality that Joseph Ash provides, and therefore asked one of our plants to galvanize the sculpture for Beaulieu.
The marketing manager at Joseph Ash commented: “It is always an honour for Joseph Ash Galvanizing to be asked to treat huge works of steel art, by amazing artists such as Matthew Lane Sanderson. Hours and hours of work go into the design and creation of these sculptures and it is imperative that our galvanizing plants do justice for the artists, by providing the best quality galvanized finish that we can.”