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The Rust Hunter
Sculptor William Massey finds art in discarded, overlooked items
lived experience. It’s like the things you do
mixed with — when you look in the mirror
what do you see?”
Massey seeks out items that have had a life
of their own, that have a story, and are in his
words, “authentic.” He sources much of his
materials by scouring vacant lots and gutters,
dumpster diving, and searching at times on
hands and knees through the grounds of
old farms. He looks for items that would
otherwise be overlooked, those that have been
forgotten and discarded bring him the most
joy. When composing smaller scale works
that are meant to be displayed inside, such
as with the wall-mounted Grace portrait, he
incorporates a variety of objects and different
materials such as picture frames, pencils,
brushes, eyeglasses and the like. Larger pieces
intended to be displayed outside are generally
made of metal as the material is more durable
in the elements.
with the community that surrounds the
installations, and an appreciation for broken
things. Meeting the composed and articulate
artist, it is rather surprising to learn just how
much Massey relates to that which has been
discarded, forgotten, and underappreciated.
“I related more to the grit and the depth of
something that had been used, or broken, or
cut, or crushed, and abused and tossed away
than some sterile piece of new material...
even if it’s not cool and crisp and smooth and
beautiful, there’s something honest about it.”
Massey’s artwork has a way of interrupting
the life cycle of everyday items. He is
captivated by the story they tell, and muses
about how everything we create and use
was once a marvel of human engineering.
It was then utilized, and used, before being
abandoned. Those items that would otherwise
end up in a landfill (like the one just outside
his studio) are then rescued by Massey. In this
By Isadora Pennington
On a warm spring day I loaded up my car
and set off towards South Atlanta. I followed
quiet residential streets that eventually gave
way to construction sites, run down buildings,
and vacant lots. At the end of a winding road,
a massive mountain of junk loomed overhead
indicating that I had arrived. I crossed the
train tracks and found myself in the parking
lot of South River Art Studios.
Here, in a rather nondescript garage space,
is the studio of artist William Massey. Known
for his massive sculptural figures composed
of found objects and metal, Massey has been
hard at work in this studio since October of
2019. Inside are a variety of tools, conceptual
sketches, miniature models used for reference,
and of course, piles of metal everywhere you
look.
William Massey at
work in his south
Atlanta studio.
(Photos by
Isadora
Pennington)
“Most of my work is an amalgamation of
all different materials: plastics, wood, paint,
metal, household items,” said Massey. “The
whole process for a lot of my art is finding
relationships between things that weren’t
meant to be mixed together, and connecting
the dots between objects that couldn’t be more
dissimilar.”
There are several common themes that can
be seen throughout Massey’s work; unification
of disparate items, inclusion and interaction
way they go on to live a new life and tell
a new story, all while portraying the scars
of the passage of time to which they have
been subjected. It is those very marks, the
rust and bends and cracks, which intrigue
Massey and add the authenticity he
constantly seeks in his sculptures.
As we sat together in his studio
the afternoon light filtered in through
the doors and the sounds of free range
chickens roaming the property filled
the air, occasionally interrupted by the
rumble of a train passing by on the tracks.
Artists in neighboring studios could be
heard mumbling through the walls. I
was taken by Massey’s artistic drive, his
passion, candor, humility and most of all
his humanity. Before I loaded myself back
into my car and left this otherworldly place
of art and tools and objects, he led me to a
warehouse where he was constructing giant
steel hands that reach up to the sky. He
clambered up into the framework and got to
work. It was there, diligently working with
intense concentration, shrouded in sparks
and beneath layers of dirt and dust and sweat,
that I saw him for what he really is: an artist, a
visionary, and innately, truly, alive. OH
“I’m most
intrigued by the
human form and I
feel like it is most
relatable... especially
when it’s a human
form made out of
inherently human
items like a lamp, a
tire, a shovel, yard equipment,” said Massey.
His works have graced the Atlanta BeltLine
for years now, faces overlooking the day-to-
day of countless Atlantans who often pause
to photograph, inspect, and appreciate these
oversized assemblage sculptural portraits.
“It’s a level of familiarity that I’m still
working out in my brain, it’s this mystery of
intriguing people by making something so
familiar like the human form out of things
that are so familiar from the home, from your
AtlantalntownPaper.com
44 May 2021 | [d