"Hot Water Kimono" by Gordon Chandler

Upon discovering a weathered steel drum that had been warped to resemble the sleeve of a garment, artist Gordon Chandler was inspired to embark on a series of kimono sculptures formed from found metal scraps. With an eye to the aesthetic possibilities of this humble material, Chandler invests the reclaimed steel with sculptural fluidity and a wry sense of form.

Steel scraps salvaged from a hot water heater take on the shape of a short-sleeved kimono in this wall-mounted sculpture titled "Hot Water Kimono." Flattened with the center rolled out, the found metal becomes a length of draped silk, folded back at the neck to form a simple collar. Cutouts backed with brightly-colored panels add contrast to the kimono's light grey coating and remnant sticker labels hint at the metal's original use. A small metal plate secured to the collar finishes the sculpture in lieu of a garment label, stamped with the artist's signature and date of creation.