North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event heads to Orange County Convention Center in October 2024. FABTECH provides a convenient "one stop shop" venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits and discover new solutions to all of your metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing needs.
North America's Largest Metal Forming, Fabricating, Welding and Finishing Event
Artists start one sculpture, finish the other to benefit future generation of metal fabricators
After being hidden from public view for months, two steel masterpieces created by world renowned sculpture artist Albert Paley and West Coast Choppers founder Jesse James will be revealed at FABTECH 2017 on Nov. 6 in Chicago’s McCormick Place.
The two metal sculptures are the result of a unique collaboration between Paley and James to each start one sculpture, switch halfway, and then finish the other’s piece. The months-long collaboration, known as the Paley-James Project, sparked from the artists’ shared love of steel and fire as well as the desire to pay it forward.
Following the public unveiling at North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event, the sculptures will remain displayed at FABTECH for its duration (Nov. 6-9). Then they will be auctioned at Chicago’s Wright Auction House with proceeds supporting grants and educational opportunities for careers in metalworking trades at FABTECH’s co-sponsor organizations.
“We are honored to have these two great metal sculptors choose FABTECH to reveal their masterpieces,” said John Catalano, FABTECH show co-manager and SME senior director. “Their incredibly unique sculptures will have immense artistic value, but the altruistic value of Paley and James to benefit the future generation of metal fabricators is what makes this collaboration truly remarkable.”
While the metal sculptures have been publicly hidden, the entire journey of the Paley-James Project and the sculptures’ creation has been captured on film by Rochester, New York-based WXXI. The PBS station is turning the footage into a 60-minute documentary of the project, which will air in early 2018 on PBS stations nationwide.
Segments of the documentary have already been released and have generated huge interest and intrigue in what the final sculptures will look like.
Prior to the official unveiling at FABTECH’s opening ceremony, Paley and James will participate in the morning keynote presentation of “FABx Tech Talks” to discuss their collaboration and distinctive pieces of art.
The Paley-James Project is sponsored by ESAB, a welding and cutting equipment and consumables manufacturer, and FABTECH’s five co-sponsor organizations: American Welding Society, Chemical Coaters Association International, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International, Precision Metalforming Association and SME.
To learn more about the Paley-James Project and watch segments from the documentary as well as register for FABTECH 2017, please visit: fabtechexpo.com/paley-james-project.
FABTECH 2024
About the Expo
North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event heads to Orange County Convention Center in October 2024. FABTECH provides a convenient "one stop shop" venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits and discover new solutions to all of your metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing needs.
