GARY DEIRMENDJIAN: SEED - UWS

Congratulations to Gary Deirmendjian whose work seed - uws was recently installed at University of Western Sydney (UWS), Campbelltown Campus. It is one of the finalists at the UWS Acquisitive Sculpture Award and Exhibition, running from May 4 to June 3. 

The work is in many ways a sister work to seed which was installed outside Artereal Galllery as part of Art Month Sydney 2012 and the launch of the Rozelle Contemporary Art Precinct. 

The below photos depict the making of seed - uws. The process began with the internal cage which was formed  at Newington Armory, Sydney Olympic Park.  It was then taken to National Art School where Gary built the external timber formwork and braced it. This was then taken back to Newington Armory for concrete pouring. After curing and removal of formwork and dissolving of the carved foam ends it was then taken to University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown for installation.

Internal reo cage form 

Cutting to size

Building formwork around cage

 Inside formwork

Reinforcing formwork

Transport free standing formwork

Dig pit to bury formwork

Pour concrete 

Concrete drying

Concrete drying

Remove exposed formwork panels

 Polystyrene ends

Dissolve polystyrene

Lift out of pit

Roll over and remove remaining formwork

Lift onto truck

 Delivering the work



The finished work in situ

Artist Statement:

Seed

noun

1 a flowering plant's unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another such plant.

Here "seed" may likewise suggest itself as being the reproductive unit of some multilevel reinforced concrete construct.

One may imagine it being sown and beginning to grow where it now rests, into another quick glass-clad monolith, a shopping centre or a car park perhaps.

“GROWTH!” is what the new priests and their herds seem to so relentlessly chant.

“At what cost?” a few dare ask.