British sculptor Alex Chinneck creates mind-bending optical illusions that defy logic and change our perceptions of the material he uses. In the past we’ve seen him bend brick walls, curl tarmac, twist wooden columns, and make entire buildings appear to levitate in mid-air. His latest head-turning contemporary sculpture is an antique grandfather clock that appears to be tied in a knot.
The artwork—titled Growing up gets me down—represents an exciting new venture for the artist. Chinneck tells My Modern Met in an email, “My two passions are creating sculptures and collecting antiques. Growing up gets me down unites these interests in a playful yet technically complex way. The grandfather clock takes the idea of re-imagining and re-purposing a traditional household item onto another level and we’ve been able to produce a sculptural object which is also a fully functioning time-piece.”
The solid oak structure pushes the boundaries of the material and introduces a surreal malleability to the typically rigid form. It is unknown exactly how Chinneck managed to create the illusion of twisting the body of a longcase clock into a knot, but the resulting contemporary sculpture breathes a new and whimsical life into the old timepiece.
Growing up gets me down is on display and available to purchase at Liberty London. Find more of Chinneck’s surreal creations on his website.
Alex Chinneck’s latest head-turning artwork is an antique grandfather clock that appears to be tied in a knot.
The piece—titled Growing up gets me down—pushes the boundaries of the solid oak material and introduces a surreal malleability to the typically rigid form.
Alex Chinneck: Website | Instagram
All photos by Charles Emerson. My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Alex Chinneck.
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