3 historic figures in fabrication
Fabrication is an art form that has been around for thousands of years. Many see fabrication as an industrial skill and are unaware of the spatters, heat, chemicals, precision and delicacy needed when you are undertaking a weld.
The oldest archaeological evidence of metal fabrication was the discovery of a copper pendant in northern Iraq from 8,700 BCE, which tells us that metal fabrication has diverted from a long historic line. When we take into account the history of fabrication we can form an appreciation of the pioneers who helped craft and shape fabrication into the art form it is today.
There are several reasons to why people take an interest into fabrication. When we first discover metal work it can be testing, but when mastered the feeling of success is unlike anything else. This feeling is what has inspired us to acknowledge a few outstanding metal fabricators from around the world.
1. David Smith
Taking a creative path David Smith started his artistic career experimenting with painting, sketches, wood and other materials. It wasn’t until 1934 (10 years later) that David started creating art pieces using metal. In 1962-63 David Smith was offered a decommissioned Italsider steel factory in nearby Voltri, and provided with a team of steelworkers as his assistants. David Smith’s passion for metal work crew over the years, where he created many eye catching pieces and gained recognition from his creative metal works.
2. Nikolay Slavyanov
Nikolay Gavrilovich Slavyanov introduced arc welding in 1888, using consumable metal electrodes. This method was the second arc welding method, which came after carbon welding. Nikolay Slavyanov received a gold medal at the world electrotechnical exhibition in 1893 in Chicago for providing the engineering world with a ‘technical revolution’.
3. Julio Gonzalez
With over 100 sculptures being displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in Spain, Julio Gonzalez had an influential effect on artists from his time, which is the reason we have chosen to highlight him in the history of fabrication. For example Julio Gonzalez worked closely with Picasso, helping him to create sculptures such as “La Tete Painte en Fer”.
Every now and then we come across some stories about welders and their relationship with welding that inspiring us to create sculpture and art. There are thousands of historic and inspiring metal fabricators and we can’t wait to keep sharing them with you.