Poetry in motion by John Silcox
It’s hard to describe one of Will Carr’s kinetic sculptures without first seeing them in motion. They are large metallic structures installed outdoors and seem to take on a life of their own. Both alien and familiar at once, they mesmerise the viewer by moving in a fluid, organic and almost hypnotic manner, while constantly throwing you off balance with the odd, unexpected twist.
These sculptures are, in fact, a bit like the 34-year-old British artist who makes them. So, when we park the new Audi R8 V10 Performance in front of his studio and get out to meet him, he immediately throws us a curve ball. Rather than taking us to see one of the large stainless-steel creations glinting in the summer sunshine away in the distance behind him, he beckons us inside instead.
‘I’ve been building an indoor tornado,’ he says excitedly, leading us up some crooked stairs to an old hops kiln. Inside, he tells us to put our heads through viewing holes cut into some black plastic sheeting and rapidly presses on a few buttons. A fan whirrs up; smoke rises from the floor and suddenly a 6-metre tornado is curling up towards the rafters. It’s unbelievable.
