William Pye

Description

William Pye has always been intrigued by getting the most simple effects generated by water into his work. The most basic of all is the meniscus, or 'skin' which forms a kind of flat water 'plateau' where the water appears to rise above the rim of its container. It is this occurrence that Pye has used in Vessel III. Having observed a meniscus, as most of us have done in school science lessons, by filling a glass with water until it almost overflows, Pye wondered why this should not be done on a larger scale. His next consideration was to think how a meniscus which is essentially a still phenomenon, could be combined with movement, but with the slowest possible movement of water. He had seen, at a Hydro Electric scheme in the Pyrannese, a Bell Mouth Weir which drew water from the centre of the dam in a controlled measure. He was very excited by the shape of the concrete horn through which the water was was passing, and has employed both the shape and the movement in this sculpture. The difference in level between the central horn and the rim of the bronze Vessel is about 7 mm, which allows the water to flow evenly as it is being pumped back to the surface in order to keep the water level with the rim and therefore maintaining the meniscus.

Bronze was chosen by Pye for Vessel III because of its permanence. His preference for a green patina is to do with history and tradition and the fact that he has always enjoyed these connections with the past in his work. The bronze was cast from a plaster form and honed to a fine degree.

Another significant characteristic of water movement which Pye has employed in Vessel III is that of 'Laminar Flow': an uninterrupted stream of water flowing along constant streamlines. Pye first observed this spectacle when walking down a mountain road in Wales where the water streaming over the tarmac gave him the idea of using a thin film of water over metal or stone forms in his sculptures - in the case of this piece, over the trumpet horn at the centre of the bowl.