Sebastian Thomas, A New Face In Hell

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop is delighted to present A New Face In Hell, a new site specific installation from Sebastian Thomas. Working with readily available industrial materials Thomas has created a structure within the gallery space to play host to a new body of sculptural works, many of which have been produced at the workshop over several recent residencies. The installation will draw inspiration from the mythological fable of the Golem, a being constructed of inanimate material that often ends up becoming uncontrollable.

Creating a golem was a way in which medieval Jewish mystics could become closer to God. The ancestor of the word meant “shapeless mass” or “raw” material, connoting the unfinished human being before God’s eyes. It’s also understood to mean “dumb” or “helpless”, a metaphor for a mindless entity that serves man. In many stories though, the creature runs amok and becomes hostile to its creator, serving as a cautionary tale against the hubris of man. A large structural framework will fill the entirety of the gallery upon which the artist will layer ceramic grids, poured foam panels and CNC’d shapes to create a dense landscape of material. Punctuating this surface will be a host of cast metal body and face amalgamations, floating in and out of the framework, disrupting its’ membrane. Through this build up and transformation of materials Thomas’ work attempts to set the stage for a retelling where reality and narrative merge, a breeding ground for semi-fictional objects, places and protagonists.