Unfurl
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| Artist Name(s) | Alex Pentek |
| Artwork title | Unfurl |
| Context/Background | Unfurl (2014) was designed by past pupil Alex Pentek, and commissioned under the Per Cent for Art scheme that arose out of the construction of a new building for Ashton School, Blackrock in Co. Cork, which was completed in August 2014. |
| Description | Based on an origami-fold pattern, Unfurl (2014) was fabricated using a series of perforated 3mm bronze sheets, which were cut and folded into a parabolic curved surface following the plan of a Fibonacci spiral. The folded surface has 80,000 perforations and is reinforced at the edges with 70mm phosphor bronze piping. It contains over half a kilometre of TIG welds, which were fabricated, bead-blasted and then sealed. The work, which measures 4x3x2m, is chemically anchored to a concrete base and is lit at night with 3 LED outdoor spotlights. This lighting serves to highlight the folded surface, creating an interactive sculpture that allows people to stand inside the work. Artistic concept: “My idea for Ashton School was formed out of a site-specific response to the location on mature grounds, and the relationship between the new and old school buildings. As I aimed to link the new building with the surrounding landscaping, I also aimed to visually link the subjects of art, maths science and nature.The image of a leaf or flower came from my discovery that the original old building was once a leaf covered Georgian family home.” |
| Biographies | Alex Pentek was born in Bantry, Co. Cork in 1973. He graduated from Crawford College of Art and Design as Cork Arts Society Student of the Year in 1996. Since then he has created over 20 large-scale, site-specific, permanent public artworks in Ireland and Canada. His long-standing interest in origami and music have informed his sculptural work, which he creates for public and private commissions in his studio at Rathpeacon in Co. Cork, and in numerous artists’ residencies. He also has extensive experience in teaching and facilitating workshops. While Pentek mainly focuses on creating large-scale permanent sculptures, he also displays work in galleries, which allows him to explore temporary mediums such as paper and sound performance. His work has featured in solo exhibitions and group shows including Gravity, at the Crawford Municipal Gallery, Cork, Ireland in 2011 and representing Ireland in An Other Place, Salamanca Arts Centre, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia in 2007. |
| Commission Type | Schools/Colleges |
| Commissioner Name | Ashton School, Backrock, Co. Cork |
| Commissioning process | A panel of invited artists from Ireland and the U.K was assembled. Following a two-stage competition, ‘Unfurl’ was chosen by the selection panel. |
| Project commission dates | January 1, 2013 - May 30, 2014 |
| Artform | Visual Arts |
| Funded By | Department of Education and Skills |
| Percent for art | Yes |
| Budget Range | 35000 - 70000 euro |
| Project commission start date | 01/01/2013 |
| Project commission end date | 30/05/2014 |
| Location | Ashton School |
| County | Cork |
| Town | Blackrock |
| Street Address | Blackrock Road |
| Website | alexpentek.com/studio/ |
| Content contributor(s) | Web Editor and Alex Pentek |
| Associated professionals / Specialists involved |
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