Istok Industrija Maslina (Eastern Industry Olive)

The Istok Industrija Series is inspired by the people and landscape of Eastern Europe and former Yugoslavia. Istok Industrija Maslina is created from thick, mold-blown glass elements combined with lost wax cast bronze, hand-cast concrete, fabricated steel components, and copper. The glass has a acid-etched interior, the bronze branches and roots have a hand rubbed black patina sealed with wax, the concrete is embedded with rusted steel components and then tinted with various stains and all the metal surfaces have been aged or distressed, sometimes rather extremely. Additionally, intricate hardware has been machined and hand crafted to assemble all the components.

This piece is particularly inspired by a Soviet-era electric plant still in operation, near Rijeka, Croatia. Although Bladholm has never been able to access the inner workings, a friend who works at the plant has provided him with detailed verbal descriptions of a massive 25 meter (80 ft) 'suspended' power generating apparatus. The artist's imagination took over from there.

This piece can be placed outside, but it is recommended only in outdoor spaces covered by a pavilion or roof, as the sculpture should not be directly exposed to the weather.