11.11.2015

Sculpting with a spider

The long awaited monument to Guayas and Quil in the city of Guayaquil, Equador is almost complete, but a spider lift is helping speed up the final touches.
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The monument before the spider lift was called in

The monument stands over 20 metres high and commemorates the great chief of the Huancavilca Indians Guayas and his wife Quil - or Kil, from whom the city’s name is said to derive. It is said that Guayas killed his wife and then deliberately drowned himself, rather than be captured by the Spanish conquistadors.
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The spider lift is helping finish off the monument that was due for completion in October - note that not everyone on site gets safe access

The work by local artist Édgar Cevallos consists of a bronze sculpture of 15 metres high on a 10.5 metre high base. Most of it is being covered in resins, polymers, and granite to give to the monument a stone appearance. The most complex part of the sculpture is Guayas as a warrior, as he kills his wife. Other aspects of the moment include the warrior, Mother Huancavilca and a jaguar.
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The famous scene with Guayas and his wife Quil

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The artist at work

While an array of primitive scaffold had been set up around the monument the artist used a Platform basket Spider 1575 Pro provided by local dealer and rental company Vaeta.
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The Platform Basket 1575 Pro proved ideal for the job. - but could use a decent set of outrigger mats