ULDALL contributes a cast iron solution to a new dignified burial site in Esbjerg
A new burial site for socially vulnerable people in Esbjerg has just been established as a dignified alternative to anonymous communal graves. The project was developed in collaboration with Kirkens Korshær, and a central feature of the burial site is a sculpture created by artist Kate Skjerning and cast in cast iron through close and constructive collaboration with the foundry ULDALL.
An important step toward ensuring that all people receive a visible and respectful final resting place has just been taken at Esbjerg Cemetery. Here, a new communal burial site for socially vulnerable people has been established in collaboration with Kirkens Korshær as a symbol that all people are of equal value, both in life and in death. Artist Kate Skjerning, based in Oksbøl, was given free rein to design both the memorial site and the sculpture itself, which features a motif of dandelion leaves and is cast in iron by the ULDALL foundry in Vejen.
- I hadn’t worked with cast iron before, but I became curious about the material after seeing several artworks that were also made from ULDALL cast iron. Cast iron is a very solid material where both robustness and aesthetics go hand in hand. The material ensures that the sculpture can withstand both the test of time and the risk of vandalism, while also developing a living surface over time, explains Kate Skjerning.
Since 1944, ULDALL has specialized in cast iron solutions for a wide variety of purposes, and in this project, the focus has been on translating the artist’s vision into a durable and technically sound product without compromising the artistic expression.
- It took just two weeks from the time we received the model for casting until we had a finished piece ready for casting. Prior to that, we had advised Kate on casting tolerances and construction, as well as clarified the desired surface finish. Cast iron can withstand rusting and therefore does not require a painted surface, explains Dion Brun, Sales Director at ULDALL.
The cast iron sculpture is part of a unified artistic whole, where the grave site is designed as a semicircle with wild herbs planted around it. At the center of the work stands the dandelion as a symbol of a plant that represents strength, survival, and the cycle of life.
- It has been a very meaningful project for me as an artist, and I am thrilled with the entire process. ULDALL has been patient and helpful regarding cast iron, which is a completely new material for me, and it has been both educational and fun to work with, says Kate Skjerning.
The project is the first of its kind in Esbjerg and follows similar initiatives involving communal gravesites for socially vulnerable people in other Danish cities. The site in Esbjerg was created through a collaboration between Esbjerg Cemetery and Kirkens Korshær and was established with support from the Alice & Tage Sørensen Foundation, the Esbjerg Rotary Club, and the Rotary Denmark Relief Fund.
For further information, please contact:
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Dion Brun, Sales Director, ULDALL, phone:+45 75 36 09 22 and e-mail: db@uldall.dk
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Press contact: Trine Kristensen, Publicity, phone: +45 2980 4021 and e-mail: trine@publicity.dk