Poppy Soft Sculpture
Giant poppy soft sculpture commission from QuadReal Property group.
The Brief
QuadReal Property Group approached me with a need for a human-sized installation for Remembrance Day. Aiming to reimagine the traditional poppy flower symbol in a modern and elevated manner - the objective was to grace the lobby of their Park Place building in downtown Vancouver with a poignant and visually striking art tribute.
Design and Planning
Choosing my preferred medium of upcycled textiles, I proposed the creation of large human-sized 'upholstered' poppy flowers. These blooms, envisioned as bold and attention-grabbing, would simultaneously serve as a soft and solemn reminder of historical conflicts.
Concept Design
I began the installation design by sketching out a poppy bloom shape with petals in illustrator. I imported this into my CAD software and used the sketch to build out the shapes required for the upholstered blooms. The petals were designed to be CNC’d out of plywood before being upholstered and covered in different textures of upcycled fabrics.
To maintain a seamless aesthetic, I developed a method for mounting the petals onto backing boards, ensuring the concealment of any visible fasteners. Additionally, a custom-designed 3D printed 'bud' served as a rigid connector between the bloom assembly and ABS pipe stems. The design was completed with the creation of a round plinth to secure the stems in place.
The installation was designed to be disassembled and packed away seasonally, hence the blooms and stems are both removable for storage and transport.
FABRICATION
The fabrication process involved a diverse range of mediums and techniques, including woodworking, CNC router cutting, laser cutting, upholstery, sewing, painting, and 3D printing.
Petals were CNC'd from scrap plywood, custom-cut foam and batting were added, and the entire assembly was covered with different textures of upcycled fabrics.
Grouped petals were then assembled on backing boards. The 3D printed buds were filled, sanded, and painted before being attached to each bloom assembly.
Finally, the round plinth base was constructed and covered with fabric and mock greenery. ABS pipes, cut to size and covered with fabric, were inserted into the base, providing a sturdy foundation for each bloom.
The Finished Product
The end result was a beautiful and bold statement sculpture that will grace the Park Place lobby in downtown Vancouver every November. It was truly an honor to be asked to create such a meaningful place and particularly special to create it using my favourite medium - upcycled textiles.
Park Place Lobby, Vancouver, BC
If you would like to chat about customised art installation for your space or event please send me an email.