Sculptor, Karen LaMonte, is currently working on a cloud sculpture which will be in marble and will weigh the same as a cloud – 16,280 kg.

To make the sculpture she is using a stone carving robot, which will work for 5 weeks. The precision of the robot is necessary to make the sculpture divined from data. The hand finishing will take 3 weeks to complete with a team of craftsmen to assist.

© Karen LaMonte

The cloud will be premiered in Venice on May 11th and will be displayed as part of an exhibition, Glasstress 2017, for the duration of the Biennale. It will then be installed in front of the Palazzo Franchetti along the main thoroughfare between the Academia Bridge and San Marco square. But, it will be vying for attention with the entire Biennale and Damien Hirst!

© Karen LaMonte

Society founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney commented that the name ‘cloud’ comes from an Old English word ‘clud’ which means a mass of rock or earth so it’s interesting to see a cloud made of rock since this is where the word originally comes from.