JACK

M E N ' S C U L T U R E 49 T ell us a little about yourself and how did it all begin? I was born in New Zealand but now I’m based in Bondi, Sydney. I actually started out in the film industry and spent over a decade constructing props and models for movie sets. It was during this period that sparked a curiosity for large scale works made with industrial materials. I started to exhibit professionally in 1995, and completed a list of group and solo shows, as well as numerous major commercial commissions and a swathe of public art works. What drew you into working with metals? After constructing props for a few years, I gained a familiarity with metal materials, and wanted to see how I could mould metal to depict fluid movement through the static metal form. I wanted to create forceful, geometric and multi-dimensional works. To this day I still have an innate curiosity to challenge the form of static structures. What inspires your work? Growing up in the Cook Islands and New Zealand I was very exposed to tribal graphics. The boldness and linear diamond and triangle patterns. Everything I do is drawn from nature, whether it’s a fern fond or a shell. I really relate to those primal shapes and colours, which is what inspires a lot of my work. In saying that, the play of light and shade is the overarching theme in my practice and it’s how I look at every sculptural piece I create. I start by making a shadow to then drawing the shadow down on paper. From this I begin to visualise the fluid lines within this and can create a piece from the way in which the shadow depicts movement. How long on average does it take to create a piece of artwork? There’s something unique about the element of time throughout the creation process. Once the inspiration hits it can take anywhere from moments to months for the logistical elements to come together – the realisation of the idea is the real art of the work so it’s hard to give an estimate on the average time it can take. You’ve created some spectacular metal sculptures. What is your favourite piece? My favourite piece would be the last piece I’ve just finished....there’s magic creating work. Collaborating with Bushmills has allowed me to create something unique and different to my usual works, whilst still within the theme of my art. I’m really excited to see how artists and whiskey drinkers alike will react to this. You’ve recently collaborated with Bushmills Whiskey to launch Australia’s inaugural Black Bush Stories. What was the piece you created for them? The piece I created was a one-of-a-kind bar tray made from steel as well as limited edition ‘Bushmills flasks’, an essential companion for whiskey enthusiasts. It is through this collaboration and working on these pieces that heightened my awareness of the timelessness and durability of whiskey, the ability of a brand to be passed from generation to generation. There is a timeless and ritualistic element to sitting down and enjoying a glass. dionhorstmans dionhorstmans.tumblr.com Once the inspiration hits it can take ANYWHERE FROM MOMENTS TO MONTHS for the logistical elements to come together.. A true challenge chaser, Dion Horstmans strives to depict fluid movement through his static structures; strong lines join to create forceful, multi-dimensional works.