http://www.williampye.com The latest William Pye news and updates. Copyright: (C) William Pye en-gb Wed, 21 May 2008 16:00:08 GMT 'Beneath the Surface: A Decade of Projects Seen in Depth' opens on 5th June 2008. Alongside recently completed works, it will feature maquettes, drawings and photographs of five large-scale projects. Professor Brian Falconbridge President of the RBS, said: “For more than four decades, William Pye has produced wonderfully innovative sculpture with water, and we are delighted to present this rare opportunity to see recent work and drawings by an internationally renowned member." Having been on the RBS council since 2005, I accepted the invitation to exhibit my work there after fully comprehending the new found unity of purpose around its mission to advance sculpture and support sculptors. I am proud to be part of an institution that promotes such a wide range of contemporary sculpture in its galleries, from both young sculptors embarking upon their careers to more established artists." The exhibition runs from 5 June to 18 July 2008 at the RBS Gallery, 108 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3RA. For more information, log on to www.rbs.org.uk http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=17 http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=17 Wed, 21 May 2008 16:00:08 GMT info@williampye.com A new 8.5 metre sculpture is now in King's Cross on the same site that my first major commission appeared over thirty years ago. I returned to the site of Nat West's former offices on Pentonville Road - now The Blackstone Group's independent student accommodation hall ‘Nido' - on 22 April to witness the installation of the new ‘KX200' sculpture. The new sculpture is made entirely of stainless steel, dispensing with the brick plinths previously used in the 1970s. The installation has been secured by cables attached to large stainless steel ‘sails'. Revisiting this piece and being given the opportunity to revise, resite and improve it has been a very exciting process. There are always things one would have liked to have done better, and with thirty years of experience behind me I have had the chance to make a significant and improved contribution to a very exciting development. (photography by Douglas Atfield) http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=16 http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=16 Wed, 21 May 2008 15:34:48 GMT info@williampye.com On 5th May 2008 William Pye won a major international sculpture competition for a water sculpture to occupy a new square in the town of Drammen, near Oslo in Norway. The jury, comprising professional artists, the donors and members of the town council, unanimously chose Pye's proposal from a short list of five that comprised artists from the United States, Germany, Norway and Britain. ‘Waterice' will be visible and eye-catching from afar and is something with which the public can interact. It is not a pavilion or shelter, although it is something that one can enter and pass through, experiencing and enjoying the various effects from different angles. In mild warm weather it is a water sculpture. During winter in freezing conditions it becomes an ice sculpture. http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=15 http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=15 Fri, 09 May 2008 14:55:02 GMT info@williampye.com On 1st November 2006 I learned that the head of the Mariinsky organisation wished to acquire three of my works - 'Coracle', 'Dish Vortex' and 'Starburst'. These water sculptures were destined for the new Mariinsky Concert Hall in St Petersburg and had to be in place and up and running in time for the opening on 29th November, giving me just four weeks. The pieces were collected within a week and travelled by road to Lubeck in northern Germany, thence by ferry to Lithuania, continuing by road through Latvia and Estonia to Russia, arriving on 20th November. Despite a number of setbacks which included a three day delay at customs, all three pieces were delivered and installed in time for the inaugural concert on 29th November. http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=6 http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=6 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:46:39 GMT info@williampye.com In early September 2006 'Attica', an eight metre high, six tonne water sculpture in mirror-polished stainless steel was loaded and sent on its way by road and ferry to Greece where it was installed on the slopes of Mount Parnitha, north of Athens. The spectacular site overlooks Athens, the Acropolis clearly visible in the distance with the Aegean beyond. On a clear day the mountains of the Peloponese can be seen poking above the horizon. The exact location is beside the base station of a new teleferic or cable car system that takes people up from a half way point to the top of the mountain. When approaching the site by car, one will have only perceived a vertical abstract shape with water flowing over its reflective surfaces. However, the image of a helmet will become discernable when looking down from above while ascending in the cable car; and even then it may only be recognised by observant and curious cable car riders. The piece is a further development of my rollwave series, its shape taking its inspiration from a traditional Greek helmet, where the footprint of the sculpture suggests the profile of an attic helmet. This shape has been extruded to form an eight metre high monolith. http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=5 http://www.williampye.com/story.php?id=5 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 14:56:46 GMT info@williampye.com