IIW welded art exhibition, 2021

LEILA NAZARI (Iran)

Leila Nazari is a product quality engineer at Mapna Turbine Manufacturing Company in Karaj, Iran. She qualified as a mechanical engineer in 2007 and in 2014 developed her creative art side by also becoming a sculptor. Now she sculpts in wood, stone, paste and metal. After seeing the number of scrapped parts after equipment overhauls at her company, she took up the challenge to show that nothing in her company is useless but she could create something beautiful out of ugliness. When she saw a lot of scrapped titanium blades, the idea of making a big fish with beautiful scales came to her mind. She designed a fish based on a mythical story and obtained the CEO’s approval to make it.

Contact info E-mail: l.nazari.2012@gmail.com • Instagram: Leila.nazari.ara

Exhibit “LIFE” According to an ancient Iranian legend, it is said that the tree of life is the cure for any disease. When Ormazd (the creator of the world) realized that the devil wanted to destroy this tree, he created heavenly fish to protect the roots of the tree of life. This art work is made in the style of recycled metal art. She collected many scrapped parts such as carbon steel square tubes and strips, stainless steel plates, washers, nuts, chains, fan blades, rings and ball bearings and started working with a professional team in the production department. They helped her with the welding and grinding so that the sculpture could be made in 14 days. The welding processes used were gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), metal inert/active gas (MIG/MAG) welding and manual metal arc welding. Welding of titanium parts with the carbon steel or stainless steel parts was required and except for this, the rest of the welding was quite straightforward. Dimensions 180cm high x 280cm long x 80cm deep

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