Research 6 different types of wire sculpture

Alexander Calder (1898–1976), an American sculptor, greatly developed the use of wire as a

medium for sculpture with his kinetic and movement based Cirque Calder, as well as pieces such

as Two Acrobats, Romulus and Remus, and Hercules and Lion.

In 1926, after a stint spent making toys at the request of a Serbian toy merchant in Paris, Calder

began creating his Cirque Calder, a miniature, movable circus that uses movable wire models of

various circus performers, like sword eaters and lion tamers.] After this, Calder created complete

pieces only using wire and in 1927 had a show of wire sculptures at the Weyhe Gallery in New

York City. In 1930, he had a solo show of wire sculptures in Paris at Galerie Billiet.

Calder’s wire sculptures of this period tended to be portraits, caricatures, and stylized

representations of people and animals. While originally believing the medium of wire sculpture to

be merely clever and amusing, as his work developed, he began to state that wire sculpture had

an important place in the history of art and remarked on the great possibilities that lie within the

medium.

“These new studies in wire, however, did not remain the simple modest little things I had done in

New York. They are still simple, more simple than before; and therein lie the great possibilities

which I have only recently come to feel for the wire medium... There is one thing, in particular,

which connects them with history. One of the canons of the futuristic painters, as propounded

by Modigliani, was that objects behind other objects should not be lost to view, but should be

shown through the others by making the latter transparent. The wire sculpture accomplishes this

in a most decided manner.”

Ruth Asawa came to prominence when her wire sculptures appeared at both the Whitney

Museum of American Art and the 1955 São Paulo Art Biennial. Asawa learned to use

commonplace materials from Josef Albers, her teacher at Black Mountain College, and began

experimenting with wire using a variety of techniques.

In the 1950s, Asawa experimented with crocheted wire sculptures of abstract forms that appear

as three dimensional line drawings. She learned the basic technique while in Toluca, Mexico,

where villagers used a similar technique to make baskets from galvanized wire.

“I was interested in it because of the economy of a line, making something in space, enclosing it

without blocking it out. It’s still transparent. I realized that if I was going to make these forms,

which interlock and interweave, it can only be done with a line because a line can go anywhere.”

In 1962, Asawa began experimenting with tied wire sculptures of images rooted in nature,

geometry, and abstraction.

Modern Wire Artists include Gavin Worth, Kue King, and Elizabeth Berrien. Each has their own

signature style and unique style of this rare art form.

Artist Gavin Worth has used wire sculpture to combine realistic images with 3-d abstract forms.

Worth approached Calder's idea of mobility in sculpture by making the viewer the mobile

element. By placing varying images on different planes of the sculpture, the image changes as

the viewer sees it from different angles,[7] as shown by his small scale work, "And Light Fell on

Her Face Through Heavy Darkness," and his large scale work, "Thirst."

Kue King has built a reputation combining wire and feather. He sculpts wire using a woven

additive technique. Instead of creating form with wire framing, he builds with it like clay. In his

series of biomorphic trees, he uses feather to accentuate the wire. In his Abstract series, he uses

the wire-bundling style pioneered by Ruth Asawa as a mentor, exploring and building upon what

she has accomplished. Kue is also known for his extensive travel, creating wiresmith belts and

jewelery for those he meets along the way.

Elizabeth Berrien has been working exclusively with wire as an artist for many years. She

developed her own technique through trial and error. She often teaches by handing students

some wire with the only instruction being to have fun and create something. That way, they will

develop their own style. Elizabeth's work primarily depicts animals and ranges from humming

birds to giraffes, often rendered full size. She lives in Eureka, Ca. and the name of her studio is

the Wire Zoo. Known as the "Wire Lady", Elizabeth's work is on display around the world.

Because the needed tools are simple, wrapped wire jewelry can be learned and performed in

home studios by hobby artists. Some of the tools used include pliers, pin vises, file, wire cutters,

and mandrels.

The wire used may be of a variety of decorative metals in different cross-sections. Wire sculpture

jewelry may have beads or gemstones integrated into the design.