Pattern 6, Plasma cut and welded steel wall sculpture by Anna Frlan
Pattern 6, Roots and Branches, 2025. Sculpture made from plasma-cut steel with a lacquer finish. This wall-mounted piece of 28" x 16.5" hangs about 2.5" from the wall on the steel hooks provided, allowing clearcut shadows to add depth and contrast to the intricate steel patterns.
A slight departure from the previous works in the series, Pattern 6 takes a vertical shape to accommodate the branching lines of the roots and branches. The piece is created from a single piece of steel. Rather than using the welding tool to join multiple pieces of metal, the artist uses it here to "draw" the roots, creating a compelling interplay of subtractive and additive methods.
Patterns abound in nature, from water rippling around river rocks, to a spiraling tree emerging from an acorn. Fractals determine many of these complex patterns and can also inform innovative design in the constructed environment. I use a manufactured medium, steel, to explore these intrinsic building blocks. My Pattern series is an exploration of what happens when two patterns intersect. Will one eclipse the other, or will they comingle and create a new pattern?
My works are drawings on steel. Instead of using a pencil, I plasma-cut the lines with a handheld torch. Negative space drops away, leaving an intricate pattern of lines. It is important that the steel is transformed, becoming light and delicate, in contrast to its industrial roots.