The History and Evolution of Scrap Metal Art

Scrap metal in Tucson has been around for as long as metal products have been made. Scrap metal art, on the other hand, is a more recent development. Keep reading if you would like a brief overview of the history and evolution of scrap metal art.

Early Years

Although “junk art” may have been around millions of years ago, the first junk artist we can be sure of was Marcel Duchamp, who was born in the late 19th century. His work flourished in the early 20th century, and he specialized in taking junked items out of their normal environments and transplanting them into new ones. Other junk artists from the 19th and 20th centuries include Kurt Schwitters, Vladimir Tatlin, and the famous Pablo Picasso.

1900s Scrap Metal

Many different artists created junk art throughout the late 19th century and early 20th century, but the junk art movement did not pick up until the mid-1900s. Robert Rauschenberg started to get some attention from his combines, which were combinations of different art mediums. David Smith and Jesus Rafael Soto propelled the movement by working with unconventional materials at the same time. Britain had its own junk art group called the Young British Artists during the late 20th century.

Modern Scrap Metal Art

Today’s junk artists are as active as ever. Anyone who has extra scrap metal can try their hand at this unique art form, and some truly incredible pieces have been created in such a fashion. Anything from a broken washing machine to an old bicycle rim can be an ingredient in a moving piece of scrap metal art.

Scrap metal art is still alive and well today. Feel free to call Tucson Iron and Metal at (520) 884-1554 if you would like to learn more about scrap metal art or buy scrap metal in Tucson for your own project. You can also visit our website or stop in and see us for more information.