Listen closely. What I’m about to share might spark a fire in your imagination like the one at Burn the Formwork. This sculpture by Oscar Tuazon stands as a testament to raw materiality and the beauty found in function.
Burn the Formwork was created in 2017 for Skulptur Projekte Muenster. This event transforms the city into a sprawling art exhibition every ten years. Muenster embraced art and controversy from the beginning. The sculpture offers a space for gathering, warmth, and a touch of the unexpected.
Oscar Tuazon’s sculptures often blur the line between art and architecture. You will see the marks of creation. Notice the signs of material fatigue. Tuazon embraces a hands-on approach. He stated that he thinks with his hands.
Here, on this undefined plot of land alongside the canal, Tuazon installed Burn the Formwork. It became a public fireplace. Imagine locals and visitors alike drawn to its warmth. People would gather to barbecue, find shelter from the cold, or simply enjoy the view.
The sculpture’s design is dictated by its purpose. A cylindrical form rises with a chimney-like pillar. This is the heart of the fireplace. A spiral staircase wraps around it, inviting you to ascend. A lateral wall encloses the stairway, creating a sense of enclosure.
Cleverly, the wooden boarding used in the construction could be removed and burned as fuel. This echoes Tuazon’s interest in temporary structures. His previous works, like those at the Venice Biennale and Brooklyn Bridge Park, also focused on shelter and meeting places.
What makes Burn the Formwork unique is how its use shapes its form. It is not just an object to be admired from afar. It invites interaction. Unlike much art, Burn the Formwork wasn’t aimed at the art crowd. It was made for everyone.
It exists outside the confines of regulated urban space. It holds a social dimension. It fosters a sense of community found in areas beyond the rules. The sculpture evokes the primal act of gathering around a fire. It suggests a basic architecture linked to counterculture.
As an object left to its own devices in this peripheral terrain, Burn the Formwork embodies a sense of entropy. It develops its own unique existence. This sculpture invites participation. It has the potential for friction and communal activity.
Burn the Formwork is more than just concrete and wood. It is an invitation to connect. It’s a reminder of our shared humanity. Consider this sculpture. It can be viewed as a ruin or a beacon. It redefines the role of art in public space.