Andy Scott riding high

Andy Scott, detail of The Kelpies (2013). Courtesy of VEFA Gallery & the artist

An exhibition in Los Angeles puts the spotlight firmly onto the prowess and breadth of work of Scottish sculptor Andy Scott. His world famous Kelpies stretch one hundred feet into the skies, towering over the countryside, and acting as a reminder of what lies beneath; all the stories and the mythology that Scottish history is built upon. Scott talks about his team a lot, and it’s true, without them he couldn’t bring his visions to life. But the vision is all his. He conjures movement in his horses, bending steel to bring them to life, cajoling them into being with hammer and flame.

Giving rare insight into his work, his partner architect Hanneke Scott-Van Wel gives the show it’s special magic by mounting images as a vision board, or a proceedural, showing the viewer a detailed step by step of how these sculptures are created. It is a plethora of pictures; welding, hammering, sketching, life in the studio, sketches in pencil, drawings in chalk, the art works being broken into pieces, the manpower, the trucks, the cranes, the sculptures en-route, the arrivals, the final resting places and new homes, all of these images give us the big picture. When you can’t bring the sculptures to the audience, given their scale, it’s a wonderful way to make them come alive in the imagination and garner awe at the sheer engineering feat that they are. It helps us understand Scott’s sculptures intimately. There is one piece on display and there are the maquettes and smaller sculptures, delicate and fine in nature, showing off the prowess of the artist before they transform in size.

The show is titled MONUMENTAL. It is a well earned moniker.

FEBRUARY 21st - MAY 26th

Wednesday – Sunday
12:00 – 8:00 PM

VEFA Gallery
21825 Hawthorne Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90503

Watch an interview below with Andy Scott about his life and his most famous work The Kelpies as THE ROOK, a two ton sculpture is being installed at the British Residence in Los Angeles.

ANDY SCOTT IS FEATURED IN THE NATURA EDITION