Brutalist Sculpture: Vision to Reality

My vision for this project has undergone several transformations throughout its development. The initial concept drew inspiration from Mid-Century Modern aesthetics, envisioning a piece that would combine modern epoxy material with natural rock elements to create an illusion of floating, complemented by bold colored accents and suspended threads suggesting motion around the central rock element.

However, a significant pivot occurred when I discovered the epoxy was unavailable in the materials cabinet and would need to be purchased—a direction that didn’t align with the project’s upcycling philosophy. This constraint led me to explore other available materials, specifically a collection of small concrete cubes (2-inch dimensions) from a previous project. This shift in material necessitated a corresponding shift in aesthetic approach to maintain consistency with the raw, industrial nature of concrete.

Brutalism emerged as the natural choice for the aesthetic direction, the style’s name itself derived from the French term “béton brut” meaning “raw concrete.” While adapting this architectural style to a smaller-scale sculpture presented some initial concerns—most vintage brutalist artifacts found online are metalwork, sometimes cross-tagged with mid-century modern and often highly abstract—I chose to draw inspiration directly from architectural sources.

The primary inspiration came from UC San Diego’s Geisel Library, whose dramatic form features a cube seemingly balanced on one point, creating dynamic horizontal layers that become particularly striking when viewed from ground level. This architectural influence guided my approach to creating a sculpture that would capture similar qualities of balance, geometry, and visual drama.

The fabrication process began with extensive experimentation in block arrangement, reminiscent of childhood play with wooden blocks but with a more deliberate artistic purpose. This experimental phase proved crucial, as it allowed me to understand not just the physical limitations of the material, but also how different arrangements could create varying emotional responses. Some configurations felt oppressive or heavy, while others, despite using the same material, achieved a surprising sense of lightness and movement. Through this playful yet focused exploration, I tested various compositions until finding one that achieved both visual interest and structural feasibility, though it required careful attention to balance and weight distribution.

The actual construction proceeded methodically, layer by layer and block by block. Each concrete cube presented its own character – some had slight imperfections or variations in texture that, rather than being flaws, added to the authenticity of the brutalist aesthetic. After selecting the most suitable blocks for each layer based on both their structural role and surface characteristics, I began the gluing process. The assembly required precise placement and patience, as each layer needed to be secure before adding the next. This methodical approach allowed me to make minor adjustments to the positioning of each block, ensuring that the overall composition maintained its visual rhythm while remaining structurally sound.

Working with the concrete cubes also revealed unexpected qualities in the material. Despite their industrial origin and uniform size, each cube captured and reflected light differently due to subtle variations in their surface texture. These variations became an unplanned but welcome element of the final piece, adding depth and visual interest that changes throughout the day as natural light moves across the sculpture. The process of assembly became a dialogue between planned structure and discovered possibilities, where the material itself suggested ways to enhance the original design.

A particular challenge lay in creating an arrangement that was both interesting and physically stable. The final zigzag pattern, created from luck and trial amazingly did not require a base or stability. The addition of a final block would undoubtedly require a wood bade for confident stability.

The resulting sculpture successfully embodies brutalist principles while maintaining an intriguing visual presence. The raw concrete cubes, each measuring 2 inches, create a compelling interplay of mass and void, light and shadow. The top surfaces of the cubes feature a rough, sidewalk-like texture that adds an authentic brutalist character to the piece, while the staggered arrangement creates interesting shadow patterns that change throughout the day.

The sculpture’s zigzag composition draws the eye upward, creating a sense of dynamic movement despite the heavy material. While smaller than monumental brutalist architecture, the piece captures the style’s essential characteristics: honesty in materials, bold geometric forms, and an emphasis on texture and shadow.

The project successfully met its primary functional objectives of creating an artistic piece using recycled materials while adhering to a specific aesthetic tradition. The use of existing concrete cubes perfectly aligned with both the upcycling requirement and the brutalist aesthetic, demonstrating how constraints can actually enhance creative outcomes. This success was particularly satisfying given the initial pivot away from epoxy materials, as it proved that working within material limitations can lead to more innovative and environmentally conscious solutions.

The structural stability goal was achieved through careful balance and weighting, though this required more engineering than initially anticipated. The base solution, with its hidden metal weight, effectively solved the stability challenge while maintaining the piece’s clean lines and visual impact. This engineering challenge became an unexpected learning opportunity, forcing me to consider principles of balance and weight distribution that aren’t immediately apparent in brutalist architecture but are crucial to its execution. The process of calculating the necessary counterweight and determining the optimal base size required several iterations, each providing valuable insights into the relationship between form and structural integrity.

The decision to use a wooden base, rather than continuing with concrete, introduced an interesting material contrast that, while subtle, adds complexity to the piece without compromising its brutalist character. The base’s design went through several iterations to find the right balance between functional necessity and aesthetic restraint. Its final form, minimal yet purposeful, demonstrates how functional elements can be integrated into an artistic piece without becoming visually distracting.

From an artistic perspective, the sculpture successfully translates brutalist architectural principles to a smaller scale. The raw concrete surfaces, geometric composition, and emphasis on form and shadow align well with brutalist aesthetics. The zigzag arrangement creates the dynamic quality I sought, reminiscent of the Geisel Library’s dramatic geometries, albeit on a more intimate scale. This translation from architectural to sculptural scale required careful consideration of how brutalist principles could be maintained while working within the constraints of smaller dimensions and materials.

The success of this scaling becomes particularly apparent in how the piece engages with its surroundings. Like its architectural inspirations, the sculpture creates its own microenvironment of light and shadow. The interplay between the concrete surfaces and ambient light generates an ever-changing visual experience that mirrors the way brutalist buildings interact with natural light throughout the day. This dynamic quality helps the piece transcend its modest size, creating an impact that belies its physical dimensions.

While the scale necessarily falls short of the monumental quality seen in brutalist architecture—particularly the Yugoslav war monuments that exemplify the style’s most dramatic expressions—the piece maintains the movement and drama characteristic of brutalism through its careful composition and use of negative space. The decision to embrace rather than fight against the smaller scale led to discoveries about how brutalist principles can be effectively translated across different dimensions, potentially opening new avenues for architectural-inspired sculpture.

The artifact will remain in its current form, finding a home on a built-in bookcase where it can be properly displayed and appreciated. The interplay of light and shadow throughout the day adds an ever-changing element to the piece, making it worthy of continued observation and contemplation.

While this piece successfully achieves its goals, the process has sparked ideas for future explorations in brutalist-inspired sculpture. Potential future projects might experiment with larger scale assemblies, different concrete textures, or incorporation of other raw materials while maintaining the style’s essential characteristics. For now, this piece stands as a successful translation of architectural brutalism into sculptural form, demonstrating how material constraints can guide artistic evolution.

 

Sources:

Edited with AI.

Images:

[1] https://www.archdaily.com/566563/ad-classics-geisel-library-william-l-pereira-and-associates?ad_medium=gallery

[2] https://www.kathmanduandbeyond.com/photos-best-spomeniks-balkans/

Info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_monuments_and_memorials_in_Yugoslavia