Being

Damián Ortega//Ikon Eastside

Being was an exhibition by Mexican artist Damián Ortega consisting of new work commissioned by Ikon. Characteristically engaging with the nature of everyday life, the condition of sculpture and geo-political concerns, Ortega manipulates familiar objects and materials, transforming them into poetic, often humorous works of art. This exhibition developed out of the artist’s research into Birmingham’s local industry and manufacturing heritage. Whilst visiting the inner-city district of Digbeth, he was struck by the huge rolls of copper sheeting that were being processed until earlier this year in factories in the vicinity of Ikon Eastside. Particularly attracted by the physical properties of copper – its flexibility, ability to hold its form, rich colour and propensity to tarnish dramatically – as well as the wealth of associations triggered by this metal, as a conductor of power and heat, and a symbol of energy, Ortega created a trilogy of sculptures from a single cylindrical form.