Gábor Miklós Szőke has made a name with his monumental animal statues. His zestful creations are brought to life by pieces of construction wood, built by a team of sculptors, woodworkers and numerous professionals.
While studying art at a Hungarian university, He has started experimenting with a material that ended up defining his career: construction wood. His interest gradually moved from abstracts to his signature animal statues, many of them standing in public squares in Hungary and elsewhere in Europe. He was attracted to animal figures for many reasons: from being totemic or divine to their expressive character.
A monumental job
One statue can take up to a year to finish. Gábor creates his sketches always taking into consideration the space where the statue is intended. He builds a physical mock-up or a 3D model on his computer. When the concept is ready, then the loadbearing steel frame is designed. These monumental pieces are not just tall, heavy, but must endure outdoor conditions. After the frame is built, sleeper wood is fixed on it to carry the finishing wood pieces. This complex process is done by a team now counting 30 people including engineers, woodworkers, welders, and sculptors.
Wood coming to life
Of course, it is more than construction. The soul is in the details. First, the treated wood is cut in bulk into 30 to 60 cm long bits with a mitre saw in 40-45 degree. The sculptors then determine their places on the frame, pre-drill them with a precise and fast cordless GSR 18V-150 C drill/driver cordless GSR 18V-150 C drill/driver and fix them on with an impact wrench. The smaller, finishing pieces are cut on-site with a cordless mitre saw or a circular saw. The statue really comes alive with these last changes and expressive details. Using powerful cordless tools at this stage, like the highly compact GCM 18V-216 mitre saw or the GKS 18V-57 G circular saw makes it possible to improvise at the site and get a high-quality cutting result without compromise. It is a huge plus that all these tools use compatible batteries.
Bosch cordless gives the freedom and endurance they need
Szőke’s team not only appreciate cordless for mobility. Naturally, it is very important when many people work at the same time, and sometimes in heights. But the uninterrupted workflow that powerful batteries provide allow creation to have centre stage. When tightening numerous bolts, they prefer impact technology for it is easier on the wrist and allows less tiresome working. Their choice is the powerful and compact GDX 18V-200 C impact wrench/driver GDX 18V-200 C impact wrench/driver. Their work is a good example of how high-performance tools can elevate your processes to achieve outstanding quality.
