An impressive sculpture by Belgian artist William Roobrouck has been installed on a roundabout in the Belgian seaside town of Knokke-Heist. Known as ‘Proud,’ the sculpture features the stylised profile of a woman. “It’s based on a real person,” notes Roobrouck. “She is a woman from Macedonia and symbolises beauty, as well as the pride to be here in Knokke-Heist.”

The sculpture was installed in February 2020. A formal unveiling of the installation, planned for the spring, had to be abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Passionate about steel

William Roobrouck began working with steel at a very young age. “I was inspired by my grandfather. He was passionate about working with steel and being creative. I was exposed to that at a very young age and worked with him during the school holidays until I was 17.”

Now a full-time artist and sculptor, Roobrouck is inspired by nature. His creative process is very spontaneous as he explains: “I don’t sit at a table drawing plans. It begins with an idea which is usually a reaction to my thoughts, feelings, or nature. From that idea I create a digital model and then 3D print it. That gives me a visual form of the work which I use to create the life-sized version.”

Roobrouck works mainly with Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. “The finish of Indaten® is beautiful,” says Roobrouck. “Over time it develops an orange/brown patina which protects the steel from corrosion. It’s very organic.”

About Indaten®

Indaten® is a structural steel with excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion, thanks to its protective and adhesive patina which evolves with time and the effects of the environment. Over time, the steel surface develops a beautiful purplish brown patina which acts as a protective armour for the steel.

William Roobrouck exhibition showcases the beauty and flexibility of Indaten®

A recent exhibition of works by William Roobrouck demonstrated the beauty and possibilities of Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. “Indaten® is one of my favourite materials – it’s a product of nature,” notes Roobrouck. “As well as being beautiful and strong, the steel can be formed in a lot of different ways. And it’s easy to recycle!”

The exhibition was held at the Art Center Horus in Latem (near Ghent, Belgium) in October 2019. Although the exhibition has closed, some works remain on display at the gallery. Roobrouck notes that the best time to see them is at night: “When they are lit by an orange light, you see the multi-faceted nature of the Indaten® finish. It’s warm and gives the viewer a very positive feeling.”

More info: artcenterhorus.com

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe Communications, Constructalia
Images: marijkethoen.photography & William Roobrouck
Video: Art Center Horus - Latem

Belgian sculptor William Roobrouck celebrates his passion for Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products in a new exhibition on Belgium’s coast. Titled Buitenbeeld (Out of view), the exhibition was staged on the roof of the Knokke Cultural Centre on Belgium’s coast in early 2019. Here he tells us about his inspiration for ‘Division’, the largest sculpture in the exhibition.

'Division'

"Division is based on the lives of three brothers who are all friends of mine. Although they share a common DNA and upbringing, the views of the brothers have diverged as they have grown older.

As the divisions between them have become larger, their viewpoints on life have become increasingly diverse. This is reflected in the use of Indaten®, a steel that will ensure each face weathers differently over time – as the brothers have done.

But they still share a connection – the starting point of the sculpture.

The three faces in Division are unique, like the three brothers they represent.

In the future, I'd like to bring the brothers together and take a picture with each of them standing under their own steel profile, backs to each other. I secretly hope that I can see them through this moment and bring the sculpture another step closer to life."

'Proud' gets a permanent home

William Roobrouck is renowned for his striking steel sculptures which are often realised in Indaten® weathering steel from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products. One of his recent works, 'Proud', has been purchased by the city of Knokke and will be positioned in a large roundabout in the spring of 2019.

To give residents an idea of how Proud will look in its new location, William Roobrouck prepared a scale model of the sculpture. It was also displayed during the Buitenbeeld exhibition in the Knokke Cultural Centre.

About Indaten®

Indaten® is a structural steel with excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion thanks to its protective and adhesive patina which evolves with time and the effects of the environment. Over time, the steel surface develops a beautiful purplish brown patina which acts as a protective armour for the steel.

Text: ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products & Constructalia
Photos: William Roobrouck

Steel is a familiar material for Belgian sculptor William Roobrouck. But when he decided to realise his latest artwork, Roobrouck turned to Indaten® weathering steel for the first time. Called ‘Désir Perceptible’ (Perceptible Desire), the monumental sculpture celebrates the longing couples can feel for a child. Thanks to Indaten® from ArcelorMittal Europe – Flat Products, Désir Perceptible will stand the test of time, and the rigours of the Belgian coast.

“I have a passion for steel which started when I was about six,” says William Roobrouck. “Around then I began to take my summer holidays with my grandparents on the Belgian coast. My grandmother was an artist, so I learnt painting from her, while my grandfather was an engineer in the aviation industry. He taught me a lot about working with metal.”

“When I was about eight, I started to study at the Academy of Art in Ghent. Over the next four years I went there every Saturday to develop my drawing and painting skills, and I also learned to make sculptures in clay. It was a good base for the art and sculptures that I make today.”

“After finishing school, I put my art on standby. But by the time I reached 30, I realised that I still had a passion for art and that it was something I wanted to pursue in my life. Although I did have my early experiences to fall back on, I’m largely self-taught. I’m curious about how things are made, how they work.”

Warm colours of Indaten® reflect desire for family

“I've used steel a lot in my sculptures, but Désir Perceptible is my first artwork in Indaten®. This sculpture represents a couple who desire a child. As it ages, Indaten® develops an orange, amber colour. It is a warm colour and it relates to the warm feeling you get when you think about bringing a child into the world.”

“Désir Perceptible began with very simple lines. Once I realised that I had a very strong artwork, I decided to make it in steel. I took a plate of Indaten® and drew the outline with chalk. When I was happy with the image I took a manual plasma cutter and cut the front and back out of Indaten®. It then took me some time to clean it up. Many people will wonder why I didn’t use a laser cutter as that is much cleaner. But it lacks the human touch – something that I think was very important with this subject.”

“I then cut strips to create the parts that join the front and back of the sculpture. While that was relatively easy for some parts, the head and inside of the child were difficult to form. I relied on a friend who had some rolling equipment to help me with that. With my friend’s advice – and some trial and error – I managed to achieve the result I wanted.”

Seawater gets the ageing process started

“Inside, the front and back are held together with steel tubes. Although they were not needed once the side strips were added, I left them in. They can be connected to tubes which go into the ground. This secures the sculpture and stops it falling over in the wind, or being stolen. Though at around 250 kilograms it probably weighs too much to be stolen!”

“In total it took three months to realise Désir Perceptible as I was working outside and at the mercy of the elements. I have a studio, but it was not big enough for this sculpture.”

“Désir Perceptible was finished in August 2017 and I immediately wanted to show it in an art exhibition that was held in the village where I live. To get the Indaten® ageing process started quickly, I soaked the sculpture in seawater. Almost overnight the warm orange tones of the steel started to show.”

Indaten® ensures the sculpture will endure

“Even though it appears to be corroding in front of your very eyes, Indaten® is actually much more resistant to corrosion than untreated carbon steel. Where untreated steel might last for 20 years, Indaten® will endure for up to 120 years, even in marine environments.”

“I’ve been invited to display Désir Perceptible at Tentuinstelling 2018. The name is a play on the Flemish words for exhibition (tentoonstelling) and garden (tuin), as the exhibition is held in gardens along the coast.”

“I’m also using Indaten® to create another sculpture for Tentuinstelling 2018. The second one will be about ten-metres high. Again, I’ve chosen Indaten® because of its ability to withstand the harsh environment of the Belgian coast.”

About Indaten®

Indaten® is a structural steel with excellent resistance to atmospheric corrosion, thanks to its protective and adhesive patina which evolves with time and the effects of the environment. Over time, the steel surface develops a beautiful purplish brown patina which acts as a protective armour for the steel.

Get to know William's art and design at
http://www.williams-design.be/

Photos: Maud Baron & William Roobrouck
Text: ArcelorMittal Europe - Flat Products