Laidlaw Library, University of Leeds (25th August 2017) 001

Jesmonite is a composite material used in fine arts, crafts, and construction. It consists of a

gypsum Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywall. ...

-based material in an acrylic

resin In polymer chemistry and materials science, resin is a solid or highly viscous substance of plant or synthetic origin that is typically convertible into polymers. Resins are usually mixtures of organic compounds. This article focuses on natu ...

. It was invented in the United Kingdom in 1984 by Peter Hawkins.

Usage

Jesmonite is a versatile material and is used in several ways. It is typically used for creating sculptures and other three-dimensional works, but can be used with other materials as a ground for painting. It can be used as a surface material in building and construction. It is considered an attractive alternative to other resin-based materials, such as

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

and

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

. It can be used for

casting Casting is a manufacturing process in which a liquid material is usually poured into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to solidify. The solidified part is also known as a ''casting'', which is ejected ...

and

laminating Lamination is the technique/process of manufacturing a Raw material, material in multiple layers, so that the composite material achieves improved strength of materials, strength, stability, sound insulation, visual appearance, appearance, or ...

. Besides its popularity in sculpture, jesmonite is popular in other areas where

and moulding are common, such as architectural stone and plasterwork that has a requirement to be very lightweight,

taxidermy Taxidermy is the art of preserving an animal's body via mounting (over an armature) or stuffing, for the purpose of display or study. Animals are often, but not always, portrayed in a lifelike state. The word ''taxidermy'' describes the proce ...

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

, and

palaeontology Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

. A 2016 ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'' article described jesmonite's increasing use in interior design, seeing it as a natural-looking alternative to plastic for "high-end" goods. In 2017, jesmonite was named "Material of the Year" by the London Design Fair.

Properties

Jesmonite is considered durable, flame resistant, and resistant to impact. It can be used to fabricate both small and large objects. When mixed, it accepts colored

pigments A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compou ...

and metal powders. Its surface can be finished to resemble plaster, stone, metal, and wood. Jesmonite is considered a low-hazard material. The finished composite emits no toxic fumes. The mixing process requires no harmful solvents. However, the mixing should be performed with rubber gloves, eye protection, and dust mask, and should take place in a well-ventilated area. Cleanup is performed with water.

2012 Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant

In the 2012

Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant was a parade on 3 June 2012 of 670 boats on the Tideway of the River Thames in London as part of the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The Queen, Prince Philip and other members of th ...

, the ornate prow sculptures on the Royal barges ''

Gloriana ''Gloriana'', Op. 53, is an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten to an English libretto by William Plomer, based on Lytton Strachey's 1928 ''Elizabeth and Essex: A Tragic History''. The first performance was presented at the Royal Opera Hous ...

'' and MV ''Spirit of Chartwell'' were carved and moulded in Jesmonite and decorated with

gold leaf Gold leaf is gold that has been hammered into thin sheets (usually around 0.1 µm thick) by goldbeating and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades. The most commonly used gold is 22-kara ...

. These included dolphins, relief plaques and ''

Old Father Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

''.

''A Spire''

''A Spire'' is a cast jesmonite sculpture by British-Japanese sculptor

Simon Fujiwara Simon Fujiwara (born 10 September 1982 in Harrow, United Kingdom) is a British/Japanese artist. His works range from paintings and photographs to installations, film and sculptures. They are shown all around the world, for example in the Tate Mo ...

, commissioned to stand outside the new Laidlaw Library of the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

, England, in 2015. The lower sections incorporate particles of coal, to acknowledge the city's early industries, and the upper stages show cables and leaves reflecting today's digital and natural world. The cylindrical form relates to two nearby church spires on Woodhouse Lane.

References

{{reflist

External links

Jesmonite official website

Jesmonite Palestine Distributor website
Woodberg
Jesmonite North America Distributor website

Jesmonite Middle East Distributor website
Resinarthub Composite materials Building materials Ceramic materials Architectural elements