Copper Ships
Borney Bergstrand creates works of art shaped by his experiences from various jobs at shipyards and as a pipelayer. He makes sculptures out of copper scrap and uses metal shears, hammers, welding equipment and other tools for his designs – a mix of rough craftsmanship and fine forging.
Although his boats always have a connection to reality, they are not exact to-scale models. He instead lets his imagination guide him, coaxing out the boat’s personality and characteristic details. The boats are built without the use of sketches or other models. He draws inspiration from sailing, museum visits and ship literature. Some of his creations have sprung from memories about his boyhood wanderings in Gothenburg.
Borney’s boats have been exhibited at the Maritime Museum (1987) and the Vasa Museum (1990). Of the ships in the collection, these five have been on display at Vrak since 2022. The ships depicted fought at the Battle of Oliwa in Poland in November 1627, in which the Poles captured the Swedish flagship Tigern and the battle claimed the lives of two-thirds of the 210-man crew. It was also here that Solen was blown up by its own crew so as not to fall into enemy hands.
About the artist:
- Name: Borney Bergstrand
- Born in: Gothenburg, 1937