Nature versus mankind has become a quintessential dichotomy of our modern age. However, when these two forces collide our perspective of our environment is jarred open. Transporting us to an alternate reality where our complacency and acceptance of the world are challenged, are the sculptural works of Bill Battaglia Creations. Embracing the unexpected, Battaglia embarks on a metamorphosis where discarded objects from both man and nature are imbued with new life. Ethereal, otherworldly, and surreal, his design-oriented artistry manipulates the volatile qualities and ephemeral nature of these materials to illuminate the beauty of the liminal spaces which surround us.

Battaglia combines seemingly disparate materials, such as repurposed wood or pieces of metal and glass, into new forms, shapes, and mediums altogether. They are entrancing fusions that subvert the familiarity of these everyday materials. Battaglia’s work continually evolves. As his practice progresses, new mediums enter the conversations. From his early iterations with wood and glass, we now see the use of copper, brass, and materials of vibrant colors that spark new dialogs.

Within his recent body of work, he employs a splash technique. Here, he takes molten copper and splashes it across his sculptural fusions of metal and organic materials. The result is a gesturally and spontaneously formed shape that is impossible to recreate. He then allows the copper to age, adding yet another layer of unpredictability to his process. Additionally, his work utilizes glass casting. Intertwining his signature use of glass, copper, and other materials, he creates intuitive shapes within sand that become a cast filled with molten copper followed by molten glass. The works created using these techniques are then mounted onto reclaimed objects from nature such as cracked stumps, often illuminating the piece to play with the shimmering, refracting, and absorption of light by the various elements. It is within the nuances of his craft and curation of the final displays of his work that Battaglia unveils the exquisite and the uncanny that exist among us.