An Edmonton metal artist repurposes discarded brass objects fashioning them into sculptures that make bold statements and tickle the imagination.
Ryan McCourt’s stunning brass sculptures are on display at the Art Gallery of St. Albert until June 30 as part of Line + Form, the main gallery’s current exhibition.
He strives to create the unexpected and looks to everyday brass objects for inspiration. His sculptures are built from knick-knacks and heirloom pieces purchased at antique shops, thrift stores and estate sales.
A quick tour of his sculptures reveals birds, fish, keys, door knobs, cherubs, bowls, masks, lamp bases, spoons and sea shells skillfully cut, soldered and blended into one another to create a fresh piece that engages the viewer. Despite the mish-mash of different objects in a sculpture, McCourt’s keen eye somehow crafts works that exude harmony, balance and a certain mystique.
“He likes the puzzle of art. It is this wonderful, logical puzzle that is intriguing and captivating for someone to spend time with,” said Emily Baker, curator.
A graduate of Jasper Place High School, McCourt dabbled in engineering, genetics, computing science, music, drama, religion and philosophy before setting his sites on art. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1997 at the University of Alberta before receiving a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture in 1999 under British sculptor Peter Hide, a modernist of constructed sculpture.
McCourt called Hide’s influence “life-changing” and initially dedicated himself to fashioning steel sculptures. During his early years, the artist picked up steel scraps at oil company yards destined for land fills. However, when the flow of material dried up, he switched to buying cheaper brass objects.
Many objects he collects have an old-fashioned aura as if they were constructed in the late 19th century or early 20th century. The greater Edmonton metropolitan region has a fairly contemporary personality and the pickings are slim.
However, when the sculptor attended a four-week residency in 2017 at the Hambridge Centre for Creative Arts in Georgia, United States, brass objects were flooding the market.
“The economy was depressed at the time and people were selling. He came back with two big boxes after driving around the state visiting estate sales and antique stores,” Baker said.
Throughout the construction process, McCourt is focused on a design composition that forces a viewer to walk 360 degrees around the sculpture to absorb it completely.
“He’s not concerned about telling a story. He’s puzzling how to build something. He wants it to become a place where people can make up their own story.”
Once the cutting and soldering is complete, McCourt applies a patina as a finish.
“He does it to smooth the soldering and it give it an ancient quality. He wants to give it an archaeological, mythical quality. He feels the job is done if you can imagine they were just dug out of the ground.”
Baker adds every object in every sculpture is a character that represents a nugget of a story.
“When you recognize something it feels surreal and whimsical. There’s a whole cabinet of curiosities in a sculpture. He inspires so much curiosity, and as a viewer you get to experience that discovery. It’s a wonderful way to engage in abstract art.”
The gallery hosts a Virtual Tour on Wednesday, June 21 at 12 p.m. on Facebook Live, and in-person reception on Thursday, June 22 from 6 p.m. to 8 pm.
