Ellerman House x BMW - Power of a Different Kind
“You solder and weld and polish, but it all goes back to the plants. As ephemeral as they seem, they’re very hardy. They withstand the elements all their lives.”
Whether you’re a hiker, a horticulturist, or just someone who likes to picnic at your local botanical garden, you’ll know how fynbos – the distinctive flora of the Cape Floral Kingdom – combines extreme hardiness with feather-light delicacy. That characteristic is highlighted in the work of artist Nic Bladen, whose extraordinary botanical sculptures see plants from the dainty Disa graminifolia to the majestic Protea cynaroides (along with Aloe albiflora, Brunsvigia orientalis, Agapanthus africanus and many more in between) cast in bronze and sterling silver.
The artwork is breathtaking, drawing on the natural botanical beauty of the plants, and on Nic’s expert artistry. Some of the pieces look too delicate to touch. But, as Nic says, there’s strength behind those plants. “It’s all metal,” he says of his works. “You solder and weld and polish, but it all goes back to the plants. As ephemeral as they seem, they’re very hardy. They withstand the elements all their lives. That’s why they translate so easily into metal.”
Read the full story on BMW Online Magazine: https://bmw-onlinemag.co.za/power-different-kind/
