Mike Smith Studio

We were approached by Paola Piglia and Lambeth Council to create these figures for the entrance to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, in Vauxhall, London.

Paula provided us with the drawings, and we had the edges of the figures laser cut from mild steel plate in sections. We then folded steel plate to follow the shapes on our press brake in the studio, and mig welded this between the two edge sections, to give the sculptures some depth and strength.

We offered up a template to the top of the columns to ensure our fixing points would be accurate in the base plate, along with a hole for the power cables for the lighting to come through. We had the base plates laser cut, then added these to the bottoms of the figures. We also ensured there would be suitable drainage so the figures didn’t gather rainwater.

Once completed the pieces were sent to be galvanised and powder coated to a dark grey colour matching the 18 metre tall cast concrete columns they sit on top of.

Three members of staff from the studio then attended site to install the figures, using a cherry picker and a crane to hoist them into place and fix them down.

The sculptures represent the historical and modern histories of the Pleasure Gardens meeting in silent conversation – a young man from modern day offers a flower to a woman in 18th century dress.

There will be an official opening towards the end of summer 2015.

(Photographs courtesy Paola Piglia)