Tribute to Rescue Dogs
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Figurative Monument for the Military Emergency Unit of Madrid
This artwork was commissioned in 2017 by the UME (Military Emergency Unit), and it is located in the "Torrejón Militar Air Base" in Madrid, Spain. The monument is made of a life-sized bronze dog sculpture and a concrete base. It is dedicated to a rescue dog from the UME, who died accidentally during a military training in 2016.
In 2017 this project won the "Extraordinary Award in Plastic Arts and Design" given by the Community of Madrid.
I hope you like it!
Inauguration
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Creation process
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I did several sketches, drawing studies, rough maquettes and scale models in order to design the monument.
Once the design was ready, I created the dog sculpture by modelling directly in plaster. First, I made a strong and big armature with thick wire. Then, I built up the dog forms over it applying plaster with metal spatulas and scraping and cutting down with rasps and chisels.
When the sculpture was finished, it was taken to a foundry and cast in bronze by the lost wax process.
The base was made with concrete and rubble. The final step was to fix the metal sculpture to the base.
Here you have some photos of the process.
Previous studies
1/5 scale model
Internal metal armature for the final sculpture
Modelling directly in plaster. During this process I used an 1/3 scale model as a reference
Final plaster sculpture
Bronze casting process
Building the concrete base in the Air Base
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