Ulalu

Internationally renowned for the monumental steel sculptures he has created for over five decades, di Suvero employs the industrial tools of cutting and welding torches and cranes to create massive, architectural works out of steel I-beams. Often weighing several tons, his sculptures appear to defy gravity with a tremendous sense of dynamism, energy, and movement. In di Suvero’s words, “I’m always conscious of balance and gravity’s center point. Like a dancer or an acrobat—I’m feeling for that invisible point. For me, gravity is about space, the way water is to a surfer. Gravity isn’t an adversary or an obstacle but an enabling force.” The improbable angles and sharp lines, as seen in *Ulalu*, make his constructions like giant 3-D drawings, engaging the space around them and activating the landscapes they are placed in with enormous, forceful, sweeping gestures. Playing with balance and suspension, some works, like *No Fuss*, have movable parts that swing and rotate. The dynamic geometry, powerful size, and expansive scale of his work is the result of his creative process. “I don’t build small models or draw detailed plans first,” says di Suvero. “I start with a vision, a dream of what I want to do, and see where it goes.”