SM(ART) RECYCLING : JAPANESE ARTIST TRANSFORMS ALUMINUM BEER CANS TO POP ART

How would you react if you knew someone who drinks beer, takes the aluminum cans then transforms it into art ?

Well this japanese artist, MACAON is the kind of person who does this kind of thing. From basic and used aluminum materials he imitates well known characters like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, Gundam robots, Pikachu and even a cool mask of Dark Vader !

The fun thing about this artist is that most of his works are imitations of already famous characters which allows a wider understanding and appreciation from the public’s point of view. Although each of this figure doesn’t represent a deep meaning, the message that Macaon transmits, directly or indirectly, is to wake up the collective consciousness of recycling ; as the world consumes more, it is in our best interest to stop wasting basic materials and start thinking new strategies as to reusing them better. We live in world where beer cans can be transformed into your favorite cartoon, movie or animated character.

Totoro figure by Macaon

As you can see, aluminum beer cans here are reused in a sophistic way and are not wasted. Without basic and flexible material like aluminum, consuming society like ours would have difficulties to satisfy our needs. Simple gestures like recycling aluminum cans can lead to a better future and that is what Macaon’s creativeness can influence to later generations.

It’s amazing how a common material like aluminum can have different types of uses. That is exactly what Shanghai Metal Corporation can provide you !

As representatives of the metal industry, Shanghai Metal Corporation is one of the leading businesses in the manufacturing of metal quality products in the global field. As a major producer of aluminum, stainless steel, copper, shipping containers and other metal products and service, we essentially are committed to the universal use that metal can offer by delivering overseas and promoting environmental sustainability.

To know more about our company please visit our website. Also follow us on Twitter,Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. You can also download our new mobile application by scanning the QR code below.

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Maria // SMC Editor

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Copper tubing furniture

Have you always wanted to own a special piece of furniture, sit on something really unique? Then you should have a look at following copper tube furniture! It is not only functional but also looks amazing.

TJ Volonis, a talented Brooklyn artist/designer, makes sculptures and furniture just out of copper tubes and pipes. His creative business started quite unintentionally. His roommate moved out and left him a rickety coffee table. He didn’t have money that time so he decided to knock the legs off and use copper tubes for building a new base. The same period of time he was volunteering for a benefit art auction , he bought materials from Home Depot, drafted and created a design and entered it under a pseudonym. It won the first place in its category, attracted attention of people so he was encouraged to continue with his art.

A lot of his inspiration comes from New York City and its industrial infrastructure. He likes looking at train tracks, bridges or plumbing through his artistic lens and beyond that utility he sees something beautiful. According to his words, copper has its own sense of expression.

He left some of the copper tubes and pipes oxidize and it creates a very honey-brown color over time. He seals some of the piece with lacquer right away to preserve the scorch marks. He looks at copper tubing as a co-creator of his work.

Shanghai Metal Corporation sells copper pipes and tubes, copper products and other metal products. Don’t hesitate to visit our main website or send us inquiry. English speaking staff will guide you further. Download a new application by scanning QR code below or follow us on Social Media.

    

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Read more articles written by this author here.

Sources : coolthings.com, freshhome.com, design-milk.com, googleimages

Copper dreamland

One small town, located in Mexico, where almost every member of every family that lives there, has something to do with copper. I bet that if you visit them, all of the houses will have at least one thing made out of copper!

People in Santa Clara del Cobre (del cobre – copper), this Mexican copper town founded in 1553, have been working with copper since the pre-Hispanic era, which made this town become dominant in copper crafts over the colonial period until the 19th century. After some crisis they got their copper prominence back in 1970’s.

A shop with copper wares

The town has mostly conserved its colonial look and houses have decorations such as doorbells, flowerpots, doorknockers are made out of copper. The center of the town has two plazas. There is a kiosk with a copper roof, many shops selling copper wares, two main churches of course with copper decorations and Museum of copper can’t be missing.

One of the main churches with copper chandeliers and decorations

82% of the town’s population is employed in the making of copper items. There are more than 250 family-owned workshops around the town that produce about 450 tons of copper per year. Nowadays loads of this metal are poured into Santa Clara del Cobre and these pieces are melted here first into pure copper ingots. Then guys taking turns in whacking the red and hot ingots with sledge hammers. It takes four days to one month to complete the items depending on the size, thickness and decorative features.

A copper-based vase

A specialized copper birds shop

Two internationally recognized artists James Metcalf and Anna Pellicer established a studio in this town to bring new approaches to working with copper. The culture, heritage and colonial ambiance qualified this town to become one of the 51 “magic cities” across Mexico. (via wikipedia, huffingtonpost )

Casa Felicitas

Copper bracelets

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers customers many varieties of copper  – foil, strips, tapes, sheets, fittings and many others.  Find out more and visit our website or send us inquiry. English speaking staff will help your find the best product. Download our application by scanning QR code or follow us on Social Media.

    

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Read more articles written by this author here.

Credits : wikipedia.org, huffingtonpost.com, googleimages

Beer cans don’t have to just hold your beer until you drink it!

The one might think that beer cans have only one purpose. To hold the beer till you drink it. After this action most of people or better those who care about the environment toss cans into recycle bins. The others, more creative ones, use aluminium cylinders to make art or turn them into amazing things.

Beer can hat

One artist from Tacoma in Washington created a niche by using beer cans. Get one and show off at beer festival.

Beer can house

John Milkovisch decided in 1968 to cover the facade of his own house and yard with beer cans and bottle tops. You may have asked yourself – did he drink all the beer in those cans? “No” his wife said, “I helped him.”

Beer can pine cones

If you finish drinking your beer in forest why would you toss the empty beer can onto ground? Make some pine cones out of it! French artist Sally Ducrow did that at Oranki Art Environmental Park in Finland.

Beer can Christmas tree

Surprise Santa Claus with your beer can Christmas tree! The owners of Philadelphia’s Percy Street Barbecue built this tree in their dining room. 8 feet tall and made out of 400 beer cans.

Beer can planes

If you check the number of Google hits for “beer can planes” you would be surprised. Although you can’t fly these airplanes but it seems like making the models is very popular.

Beer can corset and shoes

If you are the one who was dragged to the opera show and you are bored, look around and you may find a lady wearing beer can corset, now count how many beer cans she is wearing? It took over than 5 years for Greek costume art designer Nikos Floros to create 14-piece collection of opera costumes fabricated from beer and soda cans.

Beer can furniture

After a long day at work a lot of people enjoy beers on their couches at home. Let’s enjoy your beer on chair constructed from beer cans!

For those who might not know, the beer cans are made of aluminium. In Shanghai Metal Corporation we offer high-quality aluminium products or others, as metal and steel products. If you want to know more visit our website or send us inquiry. You could follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LindkedIn or have a look at our blog. Download a new application by scanning QR code below.

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

Read more articles written by this author here.

Credits : pastemagazine.com, googleimages, everycancounts.com, thinkcans.net

Chinese controversial artist and his metal art

Ai Weiwei, a Chinese contemporary artist, born in Beijing, China is active in sculpture, installation, architecture, photography, film but also in social, political and cultural criticism. He collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics.

Inspiration in metal

Ai Weiwei created a massive metal bird wing. He wanted to represent freedom but the installation is immobilized like a trapped animal inside one of America’s most notorious prisons – Alcatraz. It can be only seen from above. Visitors are placed as an authority but they still don’t have full access to the installation.

It weights more than five tons and the whole sculpture is earthbound. The wings are made from reflective solar cookers and kettles used in Tibet. His artwork is kind of a word play, merging together the material quality – metal and concept of freedom.

Inspiration in bicycles

Cycling is one of the most common forms of transportation in China. However, Ai Weiwei removed their primary function and made the static. There isn’t anymore freedom associated with cycling and bicycles are piled together forming a labyrinth that keeps them immobile and useless. The visitor can stand below the installation and observe details from new angle and gain a new perspective on the bicycles.

In Shanghai Metal Corporation we follow the new trends and offers our customers high quality metal and steel products. For more details please visit our website our send us inquiry.  Our English speaking staff will be more than glad to help you. You could also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LindkedIn. If you have a smart phone or tablet, download our new application by scanning QR code below.

Silvia M.//SMC Editor

You can find more articles by this author here.

Credits and pictures : wikipedia.com, inhabitat.com, aiweiwei.com, googleimages

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Can You Guess What’s Wrong In This Picture?

The photograph series “For What It’s Worth” by photographer and artist Dillon Marsh is at the very least surreal. By combining photographic precision and computer-generated imagery Marsh produces illogical images as an attempt to provide a graphic visualization of the quantity of copper extracted from the Blue Mine in Springbok, situated 550 km north of Cape Town.

Blue Mine, Springbok (1852 to 1912) 3,535 tonnes of copper extracted

The blue in ‘Blue Mine’ is in reference to the color of rocks in the mine as a result of copper coming into contact with oxygen in the air. Back to the mid-19th century copper was the primarily driving force behind the establishment of relatively remote area of the country such as Springbok, Okiep and Nababeep as formal towns. Following operations that began in 1852, the Blue Mine is recorded as the first commercial mining endeavour in South Africa. South Africa hasn’t been so commercial before, and with the discovery of copper deposits the town became a centre for mining prospectors with movement of people coming to Springbok also attracted by its near and steady supply of drinkable water.

Nababeep South Mine, Nababeep (1882 to 2000) 302,791.65 tonnes of copper extracted

By 2007, however, most of these mines had run their course and production had stopped almost completely. As an attempted to represent the uncertain future for the towns and people of the region, Marsh placed impressive copper spheres in the arid scene of what once served as copper mine. “Whether they are active or long dormant, mines speak of a combination of sacrifice and gain”, describes Marsh. He also adds “their features are crude, unsightly scars on the landscape – unlikely feats of hard labor and specialized engineering, constructed to extract value from the earth but also exacting a price”.

Jubilee Mine, Concordia (1971 to 1973) 6,500 tonnes of copper extracted

Mash’s intention is “to create a kind of visualization of the merits and shortfalls of mining in South Africa, an industry that has shaped the history and economy of the country so radically”.  On the one hand, the development of the mines around Okiep contributed significantly to the demise of copper mining in south-west of England. On the other hand technology and skill were still transferred from these mines to other parts of the world. Unesco classifies the principle value of the copper mine site of Springbok an extension of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape in the UK, for instance, also sharing a close association with other mining landscape in Australia, Brazil, India and Mexico.

Tweefontein Mine, Concordia (1887 to 1904) 38,747.7 tonnes of copper extracted

Shanghai Metal Corporation offers a wide range of metals such as copper, widely used in varying artifacts. To find out more, please visit our Website, WordPress, LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook  and Instagram. Or you could try our new mobile app by scanning our QR code. Moreover, we sell directly from Alibaba , EC21 ,Tradekey or directly at sales@shanghaimetal.com.

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Source and picture credit: springbokinfo.co.za, designboom.com, visualnews.com, ignant.de, whc.unesco.org, dillonmarsh.com

Camilla G.//SMC Editor