LA FAMILIA DE ELEPHANTE
Reclaimed Copper
At first glance, La Familia de Elephante appears whimsical—a family of small elephant-like figures gathered together in a peaceful garden. Look closer, however, and every element tells a story of transformation.
The sculpture is created entirely from reclaimed copper, giving new life to materials once at the heart of America's electrical infrastructure. Anchoring the composition are three monumental copper components salvaged from a decommissioned power plant. The two outer columns, each weighing 157 pounds, are solid ¾-inch-thick copper conductors that once carried between 10,000 and 30,000 amps of electrical current. The central pedestal, supported by copper legs, weighs well over 100 pounds. Once responsible for transmitting immense amounts of electrical energy, these industrial components now form the foundation of a work celebrating life, family, and renewal.
Connecting the family are elevated walkways fashioned from solid copper bus bars reclaimed from a 2,000-amp electrical switchgear system. Originally designed to distribute electrical power safely and efficiently throughout industrial equipment, these bus bars now symbolize a different kind of connection—bringing each member of the family together while honoring the material's original purpose.
Each elephant is sculpted from reclaimed high-current electrical switches once housed inside industrial switchgear. Components originally engineered to safely interrupt and control immense electrical currents have been transformed into expressive figures full of movement and personality. Their industrial purpose has given way to a new one—not transmitting power, but conveying the universal language of family, connection, and renewal.
Gathered among elevated pathways and living flowers, the family suggests curiosity, protection, and togetherness. The contrast between the monumental scale and industrial history of the copper and the delicate personality of the small figures reflects the balance between power and tenderness. Materials once valued solely for their ability to carry extraordinary amounts of energy have been transformed into a celebration of resilience, connection, and the enduring strength of family.
Living flowers emerge from the reclaimed copper vessels, introducing a vibrant organic element that contrasts with the sculpture's industrial origins. They symbolize growth, renewal, and the possibility of new life emerging from materials once defined by utility alone.
La Familia de Elephante invites viewers to reconsider reclaimed materials—not as remnants of industry, but as vessels of history capable of telling new stories. Through craftsmanship and imagination, objects once built to power communities now celebrate the quiet strength found within family.
"From industry came strength. From strength came family."
LA FAMILIA DE ELEPHANTE
Reclaimed Copper
At first glance, La Familia de Elephante appears whimsical—a family of small elephant-like figures gathered together in a peaceful garden. Look closer, however, and every element tells a story of transformation.
The sculpture is created entirely from reclaimed copper, giving new life to materials once at the heart of America's electrical infrastructure. Anchoring the composition are three monumental copper components salvaged from a decommissioned power plant. The two outer columns, each weighing 157 pounds, are solid ¾-inch-thick copper conductors that once carried between 10,000 and 30,000 amps of electrical current. The central pedestal, supported by copper legs, weighs well over 100 pounds. Once responsible for transmitting immense amounts of electrical energy, these industrial components now form the foundation of a work celebrating life, family, and renewal.
Connecting the family are elevated walkways fashioned from solid copper bus bars reclaimed from a 2,000-amp electrical switchgear system. Originally designed to distribute electrical power safely and efficiently throughout industrial equipment, these bus bars now symbolize a different kind of connection—bringing each member of the family together while honoring the material's original purpose.
Each elephant is sculpted from reclaimed high-current electrical switches once housed inside industrial switchgear. Components originally engineered to safely interrupt and control immense electrical currents have been transformed into expressive figures full of movement and personality. Their industrial purpose has given way to a new one—not transmitting power, but conveying the universal language of family, connection, and renewal.
Gathered among elevated pathways and living flowers, the family suggests curiosity, protection, and togetherness. The contrast between the monumental scale and industrial history of the copper and the delicate personality of the small figures reflects the balance between power and tenderness. Materials once valued solely for their ability to carry extraordinary amounts of energy have been transformed into a celebration of resilience, connection, and the enduring strength of family.
Living flowers emerge from the reclaimed copper vessels, introducing a vibrant organic element that contrasts with the sculpture's industrial origins. They symbolize growth, renewal, and the possibility of new life emerging from materials once defined by utility alone.
La Familia de Elephante invites viewers to reconsider reclaimed materials—not as remnants of industry, but as vessels of history capable of telling new stories. Through craftsmanship and imagination, objects once built to power communities now celebrate the quiet strength found within family.
"From industry came strength. From strength came family."
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