A 300-kilogram aluminium sculpture contains one centimetre of water for a birdbath in Danish artists Frederik Nystrup-Larsen and Oliver Sundqvist's work, showcased in our Dezeen x The Mindcraft Project 2021 collaboration.
Function follows form in the artist' piece, titled 300kg Beauty Bath and picked as one of 10 experimental designs for The Mindcraft Project exhibition.
The 300kg Beauty Bath contains one centimetre of water for birds to bathe in. Photo by Benjamin Lund
The duo did not set out with any conceptual foundation or end goal for the piece; instead, they let the process ? which involved working with polystyrene, tape and aluminium ? dictate the end result.
They built the form initially out of polystyrene and tape, and then sand-cast it ? meaning they buried it in sand and then poured in molten aluminium. The piece was made by sand casting from polystyrene. Photo by Anders Sune Berg
The solidified aluminium pieces bear all the marks and textures of the polystyrene they replaced. For 300kg Beauty Bath, five such pieces are secured around an aluminium frame, with a small pool on top adding the birdbath functionality.
"The piece is vulnerable and it is sexy and very romantic," said Nystrup-Larsen.
"Normally we work really conceptually," added Sundqvist, "but with this project it was more about the intuitive way of thinking and having fun."
Video is by Benjamin Lund.

Dezeen x The Mindcraft Project
The Mindcraft Project is an annual exhibi...