Richard Sweeney

As well as being driven by the material, the forms I produce are influenced by my keen interest in the photography of architecture and natural forms. Elements of repetition within architecture are very appealing to me, I’m drawn to the way structures can be produced with sets of repeating elements, each of which is simple in its own right, yet contributes to create a complex and rigid structure. This is most apparent in bridges, especially those of Santiago Calatrava, where form and structure become one; all the elements of construction are exposed and composed to create a beautifully flowing sculptural form.

This demonstration of art through engineered structure is truly inspiring, and is a major influence on the way I go about producing my work- to create objects that are simple to construct yet complex in appearance, and are efficient in the way they are produced, both in terms of construction time and material use. The greatest example of this principle- achieving the most from the least- are structures in nature. As in the greatest architecture, natural forms show patterns of repetition, whereby the very most is made out of the least material and energy possible, to create forms that appear amazingly complex, yet are based on very basic units and patterns of growth- these are objects that have beauty on all levels, from the way they are constructed, to the appearance of the final form.