spine sculpture

SculptureBy Simon Byrne

Hospital’s Sculpture

•Name to be confirmed•My aim in this major project is to produce a sculpture for Altnagelvin Hospital that will embrace the ethos of well-being.

Sculpture

By Tony Cragg

“Bent of mind “

Spine• After research I made the decision to make a sculpture based on the spine and the head.

• I specifically focussed on these two areas because:

• The Spine supports the body and it is paramount to the link between brain function and body function.

Touch Smell Sight Speech Sound

Messages to and from the brain – motor and sensory Support SystemCentral Nervous System

Shape of Sculpture

Materials and Budget

•Iron •Aluminium – Why unsuitable?

•Fibre Glass •Poly Carbon•LED•Membrane Keypad

LED

IronAluminium

Poly Carbon

Fibre Glass Membrane Keypad

Dimensions

This image shows the spine in which I hope to incorporate a lighting system. This lighting system will include different colours representing the various messages moving back and forth to the brain.This will be a visual depiction of what happens within the human body. These components will be made from poly carbon so that they can be visible throughout. A linking mechanism will also be made from poly carbon which will allow the wires necessary for LED to be transferred through them. Again they will be visible throughout.

Firstly I will have a fibre class head. Next LED Brain wired to the membrane keypadFinally for safety reasons and to be weather proof, a poly carbon dome top will be placed on top. The brain colour will activate by touch at various part of the body

Thermochromism

This is an interesting concept which I hope to use. It is affected by the environment and by bodily temperature. I will use thermochromatic paint over the entire surface of the sculpture avoiding areas made from Poly Carbon. This is a similar technique to that used on cars in America but not the UK This will again make the sculpture an interesting, inter-active tool.

The casing of the spine will be made from fibre glass. It will be white with viewing windows at various intervals from top to bottom. The casing will have been painted with white thermocratic paint. When touched, bodily heat will make visible various images of Derry/L’Derry.

I wanted within my design to reflect the history of Derry/L’Derry in images. These images will be made visual with heat and thermochromatic paint. I went to right back to the founding of Derry in 6AD to the present day and traced mar able events I am going to reflect this time line in chronological order , covering the following developing events of the City.

The plinth, at the base of the structure, for safety reasons needs to be secure. This will be a slim lined structure composing of handrail at the top that will offer support to patients/viewers of the sculpture. The plinth will be made from ??? So that it can be clearly determined from the actual structure. It will be constructed in such a way that it will allow wheelchair accessibility to the sculpture. The two structures will come together with a bolting system which represents the human coccyx. The wires will be established in the base and flow continuously through the sculpture to the brain.

Prog

ress

to d

ate •Visited Site

•Brain Stormed

•Took Photographs and measurements

•Did research in relation to sculpture

•Research into the history of sculpture and

the materials used in same

•Began sketching

•Began reflective journal and blog

•Now on third idea

•3D commenced

•Yet to start prototype

•Clay purchased

Thank you