Louis Chanu has always been captivated by the fleeting nature of light, particularly its reflective qualities and how they influence his art.
This fascination with light has been a constant throughout his career. He envisioned creating sculptures that would emit energy or light, captivating viewers by absorbing and reflecting light, and transforming with the changing light of the day.
This vision led to his signature Illuminated Steel Sculptures, which appear as solid steel by day but dissolve into the darkness at night, radiating a luminous glow.
His latest innovation involves a new bio-based plant carbon resin, designed to create human figures with a transparent, glass-like appearance. These sculptures, akin to ice, absorb and emit light, captivating viewers by reflecting light throughout the day.
Louis Chanu
Serenity - Everlasting
Everlasting, a mesmerizing clear resin sculpture, stands as an ethereal testament to the eternal beauty found within the delicate embrace of nature.
At its core, nestled within the heart space, blooms a cluster of everlasting flowers, frozen in perpetual bloom. These flowers, delicate and resplendent, represent the enduring cycle of life and the timeless elegance of nature's creations.
The heart space, a focal point of profound significance, is adorned with the soothing hues of rose quartz. This rosy gemstone, with its gentle and compassionate energy, infuses the sculpture with a sense of love and tranquility.
The harmonious marriage of everlasting flowers and rose quartz creates a visual symphony, an ode to the enduring spirit of love, life, and the interconnectedness of all things.
Everlasting beckons observers to contemplate the cyclical nature of existence, inviting them to immerse themselves in the contemplative journey of life's fleeting moments.
The sculpture serves as a reminder that, much like the flowers frozen in perpetual bloom and the enduring energy of rose quartz, the essence of beauty and love persists, transcending the boundaries of time and space.
Flame (Life Sized)
With hands entwined and spine upright, the female figure kneels calmly, reaching for the heavens as a flame of light glows from within.
The interplay of light with the sculpture's varied forms reveals intricate and profound patterns to the viewer.
Illusion
Louis Chanu has pioneered a new concept of Illuminated Steel Sculptures, ensuring that his figurative and realistic works retain their aura during the day and emit a special glow at night.
Years of experimentation with innovative techniques and diverse materials have culminated in a meticulous seven-stage process, requiring significant physical effort, to create Illuminated Steel Sculptures, each with a unique daytime presence and captivating nighttime brilliance.
The illusion lies in a sculpture that appears solid steel by day but transforms into a radiant masterpiece when night falls.
Crafted from 316 stainless steel, these sculptures boast a corrosion-resistant alloy renowned for its exceptional strength, durability, and resistance to harsh environments, particularly chloride and acidic conditions.
'The inspiration for my work comes from nature, its varying qualities of light, its organic shapes and the complex relationship between people and nature...with the element of time causing endless change.
My great passion and yet my greatest challenge is to interpret what I see around me through the medium of sculpting. To achieve this I am constantly experimenting with new methods and materials.
I love the female form, as the shapes are organic and gentle.
It gives me a great sense of meaning and pleasure to present these works that will be a permanent reflection of our unique era. I hope you enjoy this journey with me.'
Biography
Louis Chanu has had a passion for sculpting since he was a child. He has an incredible ability to transform any material into 3-dimensionality, be it wax, clay or new materials, which he is constantly investigating. He is also extremely versatile in his subject matter, having sculpted realistic figures, and at the same time abstract and organic shapes. His sculptures have an emotional quality that give his bronzes life and energy.
Louis started sculpting seriously in 1989; where he concentrated on two themes: the first being "People of Africa", each of the sculptures in this collection telling a different story of Africa in present time. The second collection - a series of bronzes depicting “Women of our Time”,each one depicting women in their various roles in society.
In 2012/2013, Louis developed an exciting and innovative nickel/bronze plating technique which enabled him to infuse light and a transitory quality to his bronze sculptures.
With his relentless focus on the reflection/light; Louis started to incorporate LED lighting into his sculptures, and came up with the innovative Steel and Stainless Steel Illuminated Sculptures (ISS). These have been a huge success as they transcend the line between Sculpture and functional Art. They are beautifully displayed not only in galleries; but in outside gardens around the country and around the world.
The latest in Louis’ series of innovative materials in a new bio-based plant carbon resin range. Louis vision of human figures that are made of a transparent material – like glass or ice- sculptures that absorb and emit light which will captivate the viewer by capturing and reflecting the transient nature of light have been realized in this latest series. They are a manufacturing feat in terms of making epoxy resin sculptures on this scale; and change constantly depending on their surroundings. Louis’ sculpture is defined by innovation with materials, and have progressed from the classical bronze sculpture to innovative transparent sculptures that completely merge with their surroundings.
His subject matter shows a love of organic shapes, particularly found in the female form. He maintains that his inspiration can come from anything he sees, but the emotional response must be strong for him. Louis’ love of sculpting is what has kept him grounded. “Sculpting is my meditation” says this passionate sculptor; who’s sculptures are increasingly gaining value as an investment, having collectors like Johan Rupert, Richard Branson as well as the Department of Arts and Culture.
Louis lives nearby Cape Town, South Africa with his wife and three children. His other passion is flying; having built two of his own aircraft, he has flown extensively around South Africa and Namibia; and has been flying paragliders for over 20 years.
