Periodic Tales; Installing David Nash’s Big Black in the entrance hall

AKA… getting a huge bit of tree through a small hole in the wall 

David Nash OBE RA (b. 1945)
Big Black
2008-15
California redwood (charred)

On a sunny Friday in September, just before all the rest of the loans arrived for our Autumn exhibition, Periodic Tales, we devoted a day to installing a fantastic sculpture made of charred redwood into our entrance hall.

Artist David Nash primarily works with wood which has fallen naturally, or cut down due to natural disease. In using some of the classical elements – air, fire and water, Nash changes the form and surface of his sculptures. In this recently finished work he has burnt and charred the California redwood to form deep black, velvety surfaces. The charred wood becomes charcoal, a form of carbon, one of the modern chemical elements.

After the work arrived with us, along with the realisation that we would have about 2cm grace to get it through the door – and yes there was a moment when we just thought we’d be waving goodbye to it before we’d even unloaded it – we needed a forklift and several strong technicians to get it into the building.

We were ably assisted on the day by Momart fine art transporters and they brought all the moving and lifting equipment we would need. A rather large gantry was set up in the space and the work was slowly craned into position.

After a last minute check over from Compton Verney’s Curator Penny Sexton, and with some stabilising wedges fitted by our Head Technician John Crossley (or is he just having a rest after a hard day?) Big Black was ready to stand as a dominating and fascinating introduction and lead-in to Periodic Tales: The Art of the Elements.

Abi Pole, Exhibitions Manager