#INTERVIEW: Conrad Shawcross on Sculpting Time and the 53-Year Legacy of a Masterpiece

At the recently concluded Dubai Watch Week - an event dedicated to the mastery of precision and the passage of time, a landmark artistic collaboration emerged that challenges the boundaries of both. Part of the 'Art of Wonder' series, renowned British sculptor Conrad Shawcross unveiled The Time Chamber, a sculptural exploration that translates the abstract into the tangible.

Inspired by the subtle, half-century development of a rare 53-year-old blend at the historic Strathisla site in Scotland, the installation acts as a "vector of time". Utilizing hand-spun optical glass and sculptural spindles, it scatters light like shifting constellations to honour an essence that has waited decades to be revealed. Here, the Royal Academician speaks on the shared alchemy between the sculptor’s studio and the heritage of the blend, exploring how patience, mastery, and five decades of history became the ultimate catalyst for wonder.

Delna Mistry Anand: This partnership marks a significant chapter in the ‘Art of Wonder’ series. What was it about this particular fusion of contemporary art and a heritage-rich, prestige blend that intrigued you?

Conrad Shawcross: This collaboration provided a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of craftsmanship and innovation. I was drawn to a brand that not only values but embodies the concept of time. The chance to create an object that literally contains decades of patient craftsmanship was incredibly inspiring: fusing creativity, art, and design with a historic heritage.

The Time Chamber is a profound physical inquiry into the dimensions of time. How did your visit to the heritage site in Scotland specifically shape the final form of this vision?

The piece truly came to life after my visit to Strathisla. I was profoundly struck by the sheer amount of time - 53 years, in the case of this particular blend, that the creation had spent developing. This vast expanse of time became my central inspiration. I aimed to express how time isn’t simply a linear progression, but an immense, multi-faceted force capable of incredible transformation.

This piece is both a high-art sculpture and a functional vessel. How did you negotiate the relationship between the ritual of opening the chamber and the purity of the sculptural object?

That was a fascinating challenge. My aim was to ensure that the functional aspect of housing such an exceptional beverage didn't detract from the conceptual power of the piece, but instead enhanced it. I achieved this by integrating the crystal vessel as an indispensable part of the sculpture's narrative. The vessel itself forms part of the central "vector," making its presence essential to the artistic meaning. The act of opening becomes a ritualistic extension of the art itself, a deliberate unveiling of 53 years of craft.

Much of your work explores systems in equilibrium. Even in this static form, did you intend to bring elements of motion or "implied motion" into the sculpture?

Yes, absolutely. The hand-spun optical glass disc inherently suggests a dynamic process. Its rippled surface is like a frozen snapshot of a spinning motion, or a visual metaphor for space-time itself. Additionally, the central spindle and vessel imply a strong directionality, like an arrow through a target. This creates a subtle tension between its static presence and the inherent concept of "flow".

Both the creation of a world-class blend and your intricate sculptures require an extraordinary commitment to patience. How did this shared respect for time influence the creative synergy of this project?

My partnership is rooted in a shared respect for patience, mastery, and the transformative power of time. My sculptures demand a methodical approach and immense patience. Similarly, the commitment to developing these prestige creations for a minimum of 21 years is the ultimate testament to time. The entire piece became a celebration of our shared belief that dedicated craftsmanship can evoke wonder and enchantment.

During the Dubai showcase, you also presented The Limit of Everything. How does this companion piece connect to your broader inquiry into our physical reality?

The Limit of Everything is a light installation composed of articulated arms that cast moving shadows and illumination through the space. The title reflects an inquiry into the physical laws of our universe, and the installation itself explores boundaries, fundamental truths, and the very limits of our physical reality.