Dismemberment, Site 1

BUILD

Fabric Structures, in partnership with Structurflex, collaborated with renowned sculptor Anish Kapoor to design, fabricate, and install Dismemberment, Site 1—Kapoor’s first permanent open-air sculpture, set in the stunning Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand. Subjected to extreme Tasman Sea winds, the work demanded innovative solutions to ensure both aesthetic longevity and structural integrity. A non-conventional coated PES fabric, selected for its durability, was crucial in maintaining the sculpture's vibrant appearance over time.

Transporting the 6.5-ton fabric and 47-ton steel ellipses to the steep harbour site required meticulous planning. The sculpture’s dynamic form is secured by 32 longitudinal mono-filament cables, allowing the PVC membrane to elegantly transition from a horizontal ellipse to a circular midpoint and finally to a vertical ellipse. This complex design gives the sculpture its organic, fleshy appearance, which Kapoor likened to "flayed skin," invoking a visceral connection to the human body.

Kapoor’s vision of merging body with sky is realized here, as the dark red membrane reflects earlier works exhibited at the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. The tensioned form constantly engages with the changing sky and weather, making the sculpture an architectural feat and a poetic reflection on human vulnerability against nature's vastness.