I know...
I got a little rust-happy there, just for the fun of it. I mean no harm to the piece.
tktoo and others make good points about preserving the piece as is.
But if rust were not such a corrosive way to accomplish unity, I might be inclined to suggest that- in purely visual terms- the piece might actually become stronger by having a monochrome surface. (i.e. if it were allowed to rust ENOUGH to become "simple" again)
All the swirls and changes on each rectangle steals much of the impact of the SHAPE interrelationships between the various rectangles.
Granted, I lean towards reduction and simplicity. And to change someone else's work is clearly not right. So the above was just for arguments' sake,\ just having fun with the what ifs...
But at least rust would not be the same as painting it with a coat of black or some other monochrome color. With rust, you can still say its original.
I would worry if you clearcoated it
and didn't get absolutely every square millimeter of surface area. Speck-size missed spots could start to rust and the rust would then spread to under the clear coat. I think. I'm not sure. Just pretty sure.
Not that you're seriously thinking about going that route, as you said.
Maybe an outdoor
preparation for this piece would involve waxes or oils. Used motor oil would give it s deeper color than clear -- but would be even harder to clear away at a later date ?
Ask lots of questions -- there's an answer out there somewhere. I like the piece. I'd like to see it hanging right where the light is, vertically -- but a bit off center.
Maybe the light could be turned into a rectangular halo, by mounting a board in front of it with the sculpture on that ? White board, or any number of other suggestions -- as long as the back and the wall are white, I guess. The panel (how about MDO signboard, exterior ply with a resin-paper surface. CalTrans uses it here for highway signage. Smooth, strong, light, eminently paintable.
There could be a leg to the ground, behind and aligned with the sculpture -- then a stout bracket to the center of the (unshaded) light fixture, to avoid shadows . . . Or a combination of horizontal and vertical bars holding it to the plane of the piers on either side of the lighted wall, with the lamp untouched.. One each would be sufficient, suggesting Mondrian subliminally ?
Perhaps these bars could match the metal of your gawgus new doors ? I suppose that's Charcoal Matte or some such ?
Whever you put it,
try to get accent lighting on it, too. At least two sources. It needs shadows to really pop. The grass cloth is too close in both hue and value for my taste. The piece would work well on its own wall.
FTR, I like the balcony. And, if it were mine, I wouldn't hesitate to spray the crap out of the piece with Permalac and hang it outside. As my father-in-law likes to say, "We're not talkin' Rembrandts here."
well Mark...
One thing about asking for help, you certainly get some!
Lets see... lots to sort out here now...
I love the spirt of "we're not talkin' Rembrants here"... and I would agree with tktoo about staying outside, and even possibly moving the light fixture as well.
But in defense of rust, I would not spray the hell out of it. Rather, I would very much enjoy a "time capsule rust report" every three months. It would be fun to see it change. Nature works in mysterious ways, and I think it would get more beautiful with time. (And it would also be fun to torture OGD as the rust sets in)
It IS fun to look at now too, don't get me wrong.
OR... you could always follow SDR's instructions to the letter. (Jesus SDR, talk about having a "vision" .... yours were very impressive instructions! But could you be a little more specific? LOL just kidding. My brain snapped as I tried to keep a metal picture of each new chapter of your suggestion. That was truly awesome.
just my ninety-eight cents. Heh. All the better to keep Mark needing more puffs... but we know he will do what he damned well pleases in the end, as he has an excellent eye.
Rust and relaxation on Thanksgiving Day to all! (I thankfully am not cooking today -- going to the in-laws later, where sticky fingers abound. (No red meat bowls today though.. only bird. And velcro.)
Happy t-day one and all!
well Mark, here is what we did with ours. Our mantle needed something to sex it up, and the Marc Creates was just right. I agree that it benefits from being LIT up (as does Mark, it seems). I don't think these are high art, but as contrasting elements they rock
Spotlighting/downlighting
this wall-hung piece would be dramatic -- perhaps too much of an eye-catcher, unless there's nothing else in the room to look at ? Still, lighting is an important element (some would say THE important element) in an interior.
I'm with those who think it might look dandy against the grasscloth wall. You (and a butch friend who has clamps) could prop it against the wall on temporary legs, to see what it might look like. Don't drop it on a toe !
Isn't Mark a lovely man ? We're lucky to have him among us . . .
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