Award-winning wildlife sculptor, Hamish Mackie, returns to this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show exhibiting his seminal Andalusian bronze stallion. Dan Cooper catches up with him to learn about how he transforms a once primeval compulsion into a unique contemporary craft
What can we expect to see from you at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show 2015?
This year I will be bringing with me a life- and a quarter-size bronze Andalusian stallion, one of a group of six equine sculptures I have been working on for a commission for Berkeley Homes and their new London development, Goodman’s Fields. For Chelsea [Flower Show], the horse will be in a garden designed by Nicholsons Nurseries.
Also in my adjacent stand, will be examples of my leopard, cheetah, otter and horse head sculptures, as well as a selection of new works inspired by my recent adventures.
What are you looking forward to most?
Having not been at the Show last year, I am particularly excited to present my first monumental sculpture. The bronze Andalusian Stallion is definitely the largest piece I have ever produced, weighing about one-and-a-half tonnes and standing at 3.65m high.
You have an impressive array of animals in your portfolio. How do you choose them?
I am inspired constantly by what I see, and I travel as much as possible to really keep my eyes open. I am then able to combine the inspiration from what I see with what I have learnt.
Are all of your sculptures studies of the animals themselves?
I always try to work from life with an animal in its own environment. I record these moments with photographs and videos, which means when I’m in my studio I can refer back to these moments. This is the only way I am able to capture the real traits and the true essence of each animal.
With the Goodman’s horses, for example, I knew I had to find horses that I wanted to sculpt with the looks I wanted to achieve. I suddenly found myself engrossed in learning everything I could about different breeds; their physiology, levels of fitness and characteristics.
Why the Andalusian for Chelsea?
The bronze Andalusian was a deliberate choice for me. Wanting to reflect the cultural diversity of London through the Goodman’s Fields project, I sought out a Spanish Andalusian. With its crowned neck and long mane, he is a very dramatic horse, and one I enjoyed working with immensely.
You also use quite a broad palette of metals. How do you decide which material for which animal?
Each animal is, by its very nature, entirely unique and so is the approach I take when sculpting them. The individual characteristics of each of my subjects lends itself to a slightly different treatment each time – whether this is in the material I ultimately use or indeed in the way I work with it.
What is it that keeps you coming back to bronze sculpture?
With bronze, I am constantly amazed that it is possible to cast a hard metal shape out of malleable, soft, wet clay and capture literally every fingerprint of detail. The highly complex world of patination that can be applied to bronze opens up a whole spectrum of possibilities and constant experimentation for me.
So, what inspired you to use silver for your Tuna piece?
Silver is a really wonderful medium to work with – it shows off the loose handling and fine textures of my sculptures to a maximum.
For me, tuna are the Rolls-Royce of the sea, refined and elegant. In my mind they had to be cast to a mirror finish in a white metal that would capture the essence of this hydrodynamic subject.
What are your favourite animals to sculpt?
For me, it’s really more about an animal’s formation and character – I respect, and thoroughly enjoy working with dynamic and powerful subjects with a defined muscle structure.
I try to avoid being pigeon-holed into one particular subject, but have always enjoyed working with cheetahs, cattle and otters – in fact, my youngest daughter is called Otterlie!
Where and when can we find you at the Chelsea Flower Show?
Stand Main Way One from May 19 – I will be hard to miss with an almost 4m-high bronze horse looking over the show gardens!
Hamish Mackie is a British sculptor behind an impressive portfolio of award-winning bronze and silver wildlife sculptures. Learn more about Hamish Mackie here.
RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from May 19–23 2015
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