The art of resourcefulness

A stallion with the wind whipping through its mane, its hooves barely touching the soil and its muscles rippling with every stride makes for an arresting sight.

The picture is so very real. The statuesque horse stands three metres high, jet black and proud. "It's a work of beauty that will last forever. Time will have no impact on it. It will not age, it will not die unless I decide to take it apart!" says Mirko Siakkou-Flodin, the Greek scrap artist who built the extraordinary work of equine art at Jumeirah Beach Residence using waste wood, metal and layers of tyres.

Standing proudly at the side of his creation, he explains the arduous process: "I planned the design and progress of this project even before arriving in Dubai. I sourced my raw material from recycling centres here. We began by making the core frame with sturdy metal rods. I welded the frame together at a workshop in Al Quoz and then transported this base to the display site in JBR. It took 17 work days to complete the horse. It's twice my height and strong enough to carry two people."

The horse was created with attention to detail, Siakkou-Flodin says. "For defined form and hold, an inner base of wooden planks was made. A layer of tyres was then moulded around the structure. Then came the final layer of tyres that completed the shape and structure of the horse's body. Its outer form was the most demanding part of the project. I had to select tyres with a similar groove in order to achieve the perfect muscle form and ripple effect. I used tyre cleaner to polish the body once it was completed. Some golden paint was also used to add a fiery element to its eyes and mane. In a project of this magnitude, it is important to really go into the finer details and give the audience a lot to be in awe of, which is why I even engraved my initials in its hooves!"

This piece also carries a clear message relating to environmental awareness. "The possibilities are many when material is used creatively. To the passerby it's a statement that identifies an artistic use of discarded car and motorcycle tyres but to me, it's a highly personal project. As an artist, I wish to work internationally and design artwork which is broad in cultural context. I try to combine the site's specific natural and architectural lines with traditional and historical themes to create something both unique and yet representational for the piece in its setting," adds the 46-year-old artist, who has held exhibitions and created art forms in Germany, Norway, England, Italy, Alaska, Indonesia and Australia.

"Art has a larger role than just decorating homes. It should carry a message and create thought. I enjoy creating open-air sculptures for different campaigns and clients, ranging from government institutions to schools. I become inspired when planning the project and finding my raw materials from the street in scrap yards. I love to interact with the audience to heighten their awareness of the cause behind my work and showcase the intention of the campaign while working. My horse is a sign of power; it gives worth to what was previously considered waste. Let's not be liberal in our usage of resources as they will not last forever. It is crucial that we consider the days to come and make recycling part of our everyday practice," he says.