Local Artist Wins National Competition
Nunhead’s finest sculptor, Rafael Klein, whose work can be seen in many corners of the borough, has just completed a commission for a piece of his work on a housing development way out west in Herefordshire. But before the final installation, Rafael found time to talk to his local paper, writes Michael Holland.
He was in high spirits. One, because he had to win a competition to get the commission, plus, he says, ‘One of the perks of working in the public realm is I get to see the parts of the UK I’ve never been to!’
‘Orchard’, the artist’s winning design, is a figurative sculpture which incorporates the natural environment into its design. The surrounding area of the housing development is a very beautiful countryside.
The competition was organised by Stonewater Housing Association. Stonewater was for many years led by a man who was a great patron of the arts, and when he passed away, the association continued his legacy by commissioning sculptures for each of the major housing developments they developed.
Like many of Rafael’s sculptures, Orchard has an openness which allows the environment to enter within and collaborate with the sculpture itself. He has always made robust, permanent sculptures in metal, which do not block out the landscape but rather take the form of a drawing in space. This gives the final artwork a lightness and feeling of movement which is a hallmark of all of his sculptures. ‘Despite their visual lightness, these sculptures are solidly built and all have survived without need of maintenance for many years,’ emphasises the artist.
Many of Rafael’s sculptures are in parks, schools, at entrances to railway stations, on housing estates, et cetera, throughout the borough of Southwark, with some in other London boroughs. Most of these public artworks incorporate drawings developed in workshops led by the artist with local communities. He explains that ‘this gives the final sculpture a connection to the local area and gives the community a sense of ownership as well as creating a sense of identity and place.’
In the case of Orchard, there was not yet a community of people living there as yet, since the housing development was only just being built. Therefore, Klein incorporated aspects of the architectural designs for housing and the natural environment of the site into the sculpture. Details within the body of the large metal figure contain the houses and people that will eventually inhabit this new community. And above the head of the figure, a large canopy of a tree can be seen. He wanted to clarify the meaning of his idea: ‘The branches of the large tree are the paths between and around the new houses, which people can be seen walking along.’
The artwork is defined by a thick drawing made in rolled aluminium tube, which is then welded to a laser-cut aluminium detailed drawing of the people and their houses.
Rafael wanted me to know that all of the houses on the new development are affordable and sustainable, with renewable energy sources, and the residents will be given a choice between shared ownership and rental, and that the sculpture will be placed at the entrance to a new Community Orchard being created for the 90 families who will live there.
‘Orchard’ is scheduled to be installed at the site in Clehonger, a pastoral village just outside of Hereford, in May 2026.
