Artists have been expressing themselves since the first woolly mammoth became dinner for twelve. But those early cave paintings were only the beginning. Over the ensuing centuries, artists have used many creative mediums to express themselves. But while most of us have read of artists painting in oil or acrylics or sculpting in clay or wood, no doubt few have heard of art being created out of staples. Yes, staples. Who knew?
German artist Peter Root has been creating big art from little metal staples for years. His miniature stylish cityscapes capture the energy and vitality of the modern metropolis. Low-Rise (2006) portrays a vast silver skyline that is dominated by sleek skyscrapers. Made of freestanding stacks of staples, this work harkens back to the images of cities as conceived by urban visionaries in the 1930s.
“The work I create regularly involves highly labor-intensive, mantra-like procedures of construction and assemblage,” says Root. “As well as being simple, playful experiments, the work often touches upon themes of impermanence, repetition, structure, pattern, scale and architecture.”
A later, more ambitious work, Ephemicropolis (2010), expands on these themes on a larger and grander scale. Root’s mythic metropolis was made from over 100,000 free-standing staples that were painstakingly put in place over a 40-hour period. Measuring 20 feet by 10 feet, the exhibit was constructed in the atrium of the Northern Trust building in Guernsey, Germany.
“As the stacks are free-standing and tessellated very close together, the obvious challenge was not to knock them over,” says Root. “I think there is a beauty in making something that requires so much precision, care, time and effort, yet is destined to last for only a short period of time.”
Thanks to the Internet, the work of this young artist has been seen all over the world. Root has been profiled in National Geographic Magazine, The Daily Mirror, The Guardian and more. Root’s own site, www.peterroot.com, is home to many splendid images and videos that chronicle his artistic evolution.
“I am interested in creating artwork that acknowledges and utilizes aspects of the world around me, at times disregarding their intended or standard function: objects, technology, software, food, sound, etc., and using these elements as starting points for exploration,” says Root. Anyone who has seen his staple skylines or other works will quickly surmise that this young artist’s creative journey is well under way.
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