Layers Upon Layers: Mixed Media Art

Artist Profile: Boris Bally

by Cyndi on February 28th, 2008

Installation

Artist: Boris Bally

Website: Boris Bally

Metamorphic Light

Boris, how did you get started as an artist and what kind of training did you have?
I started working metals in 1974 because of a very enthusiastic and talented jewelry teacher: Steve Korpa. He changed my perception that metal was an unworkable and unforgiving material: “I will make you all into magicians!” he promised. I was hooked after watching him carve the sheet-metal like butter with a miniature jeweler’s saw blade. My next few teachers (Beth Rizo-Patrone and Nelson Maniscalco) kept me addicted with their excitement. Then I started branching out, from jewelry into Martial arts weapons (nun-chuks and throwing stars- which the police made me stop) and then to skate-board tops made from aluminum (forming the Rosslyn Farms ‘Curb-Huggers’ teak. Haha) I even was permitted to have a booth at the Shadyside Summer Arts Festival in 1975 (Tom Mann had a booth there!) to sell my new ‘line’ of pieces made from vintage recycled forks and spoons, crushed plumbing tubes and silver rings with stones.

Almost thirty-two years later I’m still thrilled by the limitless mystery and challenge metal holds.

The most intense training I received was a Swiss apprenticeship in Basel, Switzerland with goldsmith Alexander Schaffner (and Ralph Düby), who was writing a book on the Swiss jewelry techniques at the time Practical Jewelry Making. This lasted for one tough year after finishing High School (normally this takes four) and ended with an exam. Upon my return to USA, I finished a solid two year art foundation at Tyler School of Art. For my Junior/Senior years I transferred to Carnegie Mellon University to study concept development with Carol Kumata (metals/ sculpture).

Wall Pieces

What most influences your present work?
Industrial, architectural, structural details and their decay. Traffic signage and it’s Pop Iconography. Tribal/ Folk objects (from my parents collection of masks, shields and totem poles) and various objects of ritual (local museums, magazines). Medieval Armor and weapons (I remember my mother used to make sheet metal armor with me- I used to visit the armories in castle basements in Switzerland). Machines, tools, motorcycles (and other dangerous things)… Mysterious found objects… The Humor of life (Gary Larson-The Far Side).

What are you doing when you’re not making art?
Spending as much time as possible with son Etai (6) and daughter Aila (4) and wife Lynn Taylor (asst Prof Medicine (research) at Brown University. I also love to cook. Swimming laps. I’m an e-mailing addict.

T-Pot

What is your ideal workplace like?
I have it! My studio occupies a floor (2200 s.f. and 15’ tall ceilings with great windows and lighting) in a 100 year-old ‘bad boy’ school building turned American legion that I was able to afford and renovate. It is in a great city (which Lynn and I chose together) Providence is centrally located near Boston and NYC. I can honestly say I live my dream: I finally created the perfect studio in the perfect building. Everything I need to make anything I want to. It’s a dream I’ve worked all my life to achieve and I appreciate it thankfully every day.

What do you do when you need inspiration?
Enter a competition, or a thematic show, or take on an interesting commission. Or find a nice piece of new (old?) material. I designed my Transit chair for a show entitled ‘Stool Samples.’ …or I buy a new tool (my slip-roll-former gave me the Trash bin ‘Bin There!’) Inspiration is like I imagine surfing to be: you just get into a good mental place, get a good board, jump in the water, watch for the waves, find the best wave you can and GO FOR IT! For as long as you can ride it ‘til the wave collapses…then on to the next…

Inspirational artists whose work or ideas I continue to admire include artist/sculptors Luginbühl, Jean Tinguely, Marcel Duchamp, Alexander Calder, Eduardo Chilida, Chris Burden, and metalsmiths Johanna Hess-Dahm, David Tisdale, Otto Künzli, Francesco Pavan, Giampaolo Babetto, Gijs Bakker, Tom Mann, Bob Ebendorf, Kiff Slemmons, Jonathan Bonner.

Serving Spoons

Who or what has influenced your art most?
Probably my parents :I was influenced by Alex Bally (father: Industrial Designer, Mechanical Engineer, Builder) and Doris (mother: Fiber Artist, Painter, Totem-pole carver) who continue to be a constant support with artistic input when needed (even when not requested). Growing-up in this critique laden environment was always very stimulating. There was always an interesting project being talked about or analyzed- dinner time was a crit!

What do you love about what you do?
That it has soul and conscience without pretension. I have always wanted to make my medium of metal ‘sexy’ unlike those glass artists (!) it isn’t easy with this cold, unforgiving medium. My work feels good to me: it is a nice balance of a concept with underlying messages, spiced with skill and made accessible to real people by being affordable. Mostly: I enjoy MAKING my work. I am proud of the calluses and cuts my hands gather after a hard, honest week of work.

Brooches

What’s next in your work?
Larger scale works: perhaps an outdoor bench! ..a series of large ‘Done That!’ outdoor trash cans (3 made already!) . A salt/pepper set! Using recognizable iconography, such as subway maps (recently license by New York’s MTA!) as a surface treatment for metal objects.. A new machine? (I’d love to learn to weld aluminum) I’d love to create a restaurant interior from scratch.

What are some of your favorite things besides your work?
My kids’ drawings. Swimming or working-out. Too much wine. Collecting objects of curiosity and excellence.

Sadly: My computer! It is comforting to me to be ‘in touch’ with what is going-on in the world ‘out there’ and in my studio (even when I’m home) Next is my kitchen and then the family living room aka: fireplace!

Manorah

Artist Hanukkiahs
Robert F. Schroeder, Curator
Steinbaum Krauss Gallery
132 Greene Street New York, NY 10012

Related Stories

Recyced metal treasures
What’s Pipyr up to now?
Joe Pogan’s new assemblage videos
Yay for Jen!
The Gory DeTales!

POSTED IN: Artist Profiles, Assemblage, Creativity, Mixed Media, Wearable Art