ABOUT

I've been working very hard to bring this concept to reality. This has been the biggest undertaking of my life, with uncountable challenges and obstacles that I've had to overcome but I am pleased to inform you all that "The Bekun" will be exhibiting from Monday the 30th.

I've spent the last six months designing and crafting this monumental sculpture with the help of a couple of fantastic local artisans. Andrew Green fabricated the steel frame to spec whilst stained-glass artist, Daniel Lockwood has designed four beautifully crafted glass panels.

Meanwhile, over at the Fayakunu workshop, I learned so much while casting the Jesmonite faces. Jesmonite is a stone-like resin and Edd Wilson has helped me navigate the complex world of casting and finishing techniques to be able to pull off this feat. Jake Barnes and the LITE Architectural team provided the lighting and training to allow me to program the lighting to produce a light show for the festival.

The process involved casting over 35kg of silicone rubber to create flexible negative moulds to work from. Once cured, I layered the Jesmonite resin and fibreglass to produce the faces of Lister Mills chimney. The faces have been acid-washed and sealed to enhance the texture, then fixed to the steel frame in a way that allows for complete dismantlement and reinstallation. Blood, sweat, tears, splinters and more cortisol than I'd recommend, but seeing how it's all coming together... it's totally worth it.

I'll be sharing the process videos along with some incredible news with you all very soon but first things first...

BDis:Lit festival on the 3 -5 November by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
The Bekun was showcased in the Mirror Pool in City Park, Bradford.