Phil Price
New Angel, 2015,
Carbon fibre, stainless steel,
4500 x 2000 x 400mm
Sublimely balanced and poised, New Angel by Phil Price takes flight. The elongated blade work instantly recalls wings - be it the New Zealand vernacular of bird life, or angel wings. Price is renowned for his enchanting kinetic sculpture in which his work has the ability to draw itself towards the breeze, and also be pushed away. Action and dynamism are inherent. The shadow created by the impressive, large scale work is integral - like a dove, or an angel form, twisting and turning with the caress of a breeze. The blades also recall that of a propellor - as if the work could take flight at any moment, with enough of a gust.
Price often refers to his workplace as a design studio in a sense; conceptualising the work and grappling with form and kinetics through digital drawings. He uses media technologies to aid with the mechanical and technical negotiations of space for what are groundbreaking, powerful portraits of motion and evolution. Price’s ease in achieving form and kinetic functionality through carbon fibre composite methods of construction is unparalleled, moving from the static to the mesmerising movement we see in New Angel. The work transforms from the artist’s intimate sketches, through his computer animated technical process, to a fully realised sculpture.
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Artist Bio
Born in Nelson in 1965, Phil Price was educated in Christchurch and specialised in sculpture at the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts, graduating in 1990. He worked initially as an artist’s technical assistant and then in a variety of positions in the art world, in education and in composite engineering. Price's sculptures have a reputation for their unique and innovative use of contemporary materials and processes.
Since 2000 New Zealand born Phil Price has focused on wind activated kinetic sculpture. He is regarded as the foremost kinetic sculptor of his generation, with his work being widely acknowledged for its breath taking beauty, evocation of the natural world, and extraordinary design.
His use of carbon fibre composite construction is unparalleled in regards the synergy he is able to achieve between form and kinetic functionality. The sculptures evolve from the artist’s intimate drawings and concepts, through to computer generated digital renderings and animations, to fully realised sculptures.
Price’s insistence on keeping all of the creative and construction elements in house allows him to experiment and explore within his own sanctuary, and ensure absolute quality control. His natural fascination with and intuitive feel for materials, processes, and engineering delivers what can only be described as extraordinary moving objects.
Designed to withstand extremes of climate and temperature, the sculptures have been successfully installed everywhere from fierce coastal situations to busy urban environments and everywhere in between.
Phil Price has created major international public and private projects including Cytoplasm Auckland Viaduct basin; Tree of Life, McClelland Gallery Victoria; Nucleus, Hamilton Victoria; Snake, Aarhus Denmark. His work is held in numerous collections internationally, including Austria, Holland, Switzerland, the U.S.A, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.In 2008 a major exhibition of new works toured New Zealand and internationally. Price lives and works between Lyttleton, New Zealand and Melbourne, Australia.
