OUR RECENT COMMISSION EDINBURGH
Crafting the work is only half the undertaking. Every sculpture we produce is entirely unique, each presenting its own combination of delicate, intricate forms and a centre of gravity that differs considerably from one design to the next. Transporting and installing a work of this scale and weight therefore demands rigging that is both meticulous and carefully considered.
There is rarely a single straightforward solution. Every commission demands a carefully considered combination of cranes, hydraulics, and hoists to move the sculpture safely from the workshop to its setting. We approach this stage with the same discipline and attention to detail as the work itself, knowing that a sculpture's success relies as much on its installation as on its creation.
Under the Direction of Julian Guild
This commission was overseen by our Creative Director, Julian Guild, whose experience in design, craftsmanship, and installation helped inform each stage of the project. Julian's involvement reflects the way Alistair & Balland Co. approaches each commission, maintaining the same exacting standards from the first concept through to the final installation.
This piece stands as a true reflection of the work we undertake: carefully planned, precisely executed, and guided from concept to completion. Should you have a vision of your own, whatever its scale, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss it with you further. Please contact us, or complete our commissions form, and a member of our team will be in touch to begin the conversation.
OUR RECENT COMMISSION EDINBURGH
Some commissions ask us to interpret a client's idea, taking an initial concept and developing it into a work that reflects their vision. Others ask us to do justice to some of the most celebrated works in the history of sculpture, where the focus is on preserving the qualities that have made the original work so enduring. This commission was the latter: the rendering of the Nike of Samothrace, the Winged Victory, commissioned for the garden of a private estate near Edinburgh.
It is the kind of project that calls upon every discipline we hold at Alistair & Balland Co., demanding not only exacting standards, but also the careful judgement, technical knowledge, and thorough understanding of the original sculpture required to recreate it precisely. What follows is an account of how it was realised.
NIKE SAMOTHRACE
As with every commission we undertake, the work began not with tools but with a conversation. We met with the client to understand precisely what was envisioned for the piece, not merely its subject, but its character. Their brief was unambiguous: a striking, ornate work, substantial in scale, intended to command the grounds of the estate and create a lasting impression.
From that discussion, we produced detailed visual studies showing how the finished piece would sit within the estate, before a single tool was lifted. This is a step that we regard necessary for any commission of such ambition. It allows the client to see the vision fully realised with certainty, while ensuring every detail is considered before the first stage of production begins.
A CONSIDERABLE UNDERTAKING
The finished sculpture stands over two metres tall and weighs close to a tonne, dimensions that elevate the project far beyond the demands of craftsmanship alone. At this scale, sculpture becomes as much an exercise in engineering as it is in artistry. Every fold of drapery and the sweep of each wing was shaped with constant regard for how the finished work would be lifted, transported, and ultimately installed, as the centre of gravity within a composition of such complexity rarely sits where it first appears.
DIRECTION
It is this balance of artistic precision and structural discipline that distinguishes a commission of this calibre, and it is where our studio's depth of experience proved decisive. The work occupied our team for four months from start to finish, carried out to the client's exact specification at every stage, and the finished piece was received with the highest satisfaction.
A commission of this nature demands more than exceptional craftsmanship alone. It requires the careful integration of artistic judgement, technical expertise, and meticulous planning, ensuring the finished work is as enduring in structure as it is compelling in appearance.