Documentary on Wonder by Chris Ramsay - magician and curator of rare & unusual objects
The Wonder Story
Wonder was imagined and designed in the years leading up to, then fabricated by Tom Lawton through the course of the Covid pandemic.
Tom sought to create a moving meditation on 'life, love & loss' and Wonder is the result of his philosophical meandering, artistic expression and technical capability.
Comprising of a single, self-supporting, ribbon-like structure finished in polished copper, which appears to flow like water as it spirals both upwards and down, expanding outwards and contracting in.
With thanks to the local community in Malmesbury (& beyond), he was successful with a crowdfunding campaign allowing the first Big Wonder to be produced for public display in Malmesbury Abbey where it is permanetly cited and free for all to experience.
Visitors leave messages and interpretations of Wonder prompted by the simple question...
'I wonder, what do you see?'
Wonder followed Uplift and began its life as a discrete and illuminating installation off Malmesbury high street in the cold winter of the third lockdown of the pandemic to serve as a provision of hope for the local community. Residents would often gather outside the window alone, with children, with elderly relatives and after long shifts at work.
When Wonder arrived at Malmesbury Abbey it was to a great reception and together with Malmesbury Live Arts and the Abbey, Tom organised a musical extravaganza 'Renaissance of Wonder' to celebrate its unveiling.
Hundreds & thousands of vistors have since visited the abbey to experience Wonder's universally peaceful and calming effect.
"Enigmatic, mysterious and beautiful.
Tom's incredible creation echoes DNA and has the essence of infinity & eternity.
The medieval chapel at Malmesbury Abbey seems the most befitting place for Wonder to find its first ever home. Here in the heart of our town for the marvel and enjoyment of us all."
Reverend Oliver Ross, Malmesbury Abbey
When film of Wonder was shared on the internet in 2021 the global response was something of a phenomenon - amassing over 100 million views the project quickly grew with Wonder trending on multiple threads on Reddit and taking over the front page as people questioned 'is this real?'
The answer to that question is very much YES and in order to fulfill the desire to experience Wonder beyond film Tom began to build Wonders to satisfy a demand for his peaceful, meditative and mystic work of art.
Initially releasing limited edition pieces in two sizes; Wonder (at 20cm height) and Big Wonder (at 50cm) it wasn't long before the question was posed, how big can you go?
To which Tom responded by casting the first Giant Wonder at 100cm spiral height in aluminium as a private commission. The result is exquisite and has an otherworldly dimension that is simply mind bending.
Reddit
Timmy Mallet's Facebook
Massimo on Twitter
Grayson Perry's Art Club
"You've really made it? This is unreal. Stunning. It is like a merging of the 3D world I know and an animated unreality. Is it real? Thank you for letting me look in"
Sarah Giblin, Inventor
A Big Wonder finished in polished copper and mounted on a black walnut plinth
A rare Giant Wonder - one of only two pieces ever cast - the second unsold piece is made in bronze and finished in polished gold
A portal of infinite possibility - mounted on a stainless steel mirror, Wonder appears to levitate on its own reflection
"Wonder is possibily the greatest ever expression of Hereclitus's insight that the only constant is change"
Dr Iain McGilchrist
Wonder's have found themselves inside hundreds of homes and studios around the world with fans including Coldplay, Dr Iain McGilchrist (pictured with Tom above), Kate Raworth, Ayishat Akanbi, Chris Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Lady Georgia Coleridge and Michael Acton Smith.
Public installations have included The Great Barn (Avebury, Wiltshire), Visions of the Future (Broughton Hall, Yorkshire) and Pound Arts (Corsham, Wiltshire).
Permanant public installations include Twist Museum (Oxford Street, London), The Museum of Illusions (Las Vegas, Seattle and Copenhagen), The Art of Play (Brooklyn, NY), Malmesbury Abbey (England) and Eton College (England).
'The fantabulous artist and inventor Tom Lawton has created an endlessly flowing Doughnut (aka a torus). It does indeed stir up wonder & invites us to ask: what kind of economy would generate these dynamics? Is this what regenerative & distributive design looks like in motion?"
Kate Raworth, Author of Doughnut Economics
Wonder at the The Pound Arts Centre in Corsham, Wiltshire
"Wonder is so beautiful. I love the contemplative space the work creates. The graceful motion of the form brings to mind ineffable cycles of life, the sense that there is generative presence, that remains eternal."
Claire Todd, Pound Arts, Corsham
Thanks to Tom's friends at CASA, UCL, London you can...
View Wonder in AR!
(free download)
Download WonderAR App on iPhone & Android to visualise Wonder in your space.
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The genesis of Wonder began in the years leading up to 2020. All Wonders are manufactured in the UK.
Wonder brings an etherial and calming presence to a space, creating an atmosphere and focal point for relaxation, contemplation & meditation.
Wonder's impact on the public is already profound with hundreds of positive impressions and incredible interpretations from visitors far and wide. Some people are moved to dance, some to song, others to a state of deep calm and some are even moved to tears. The experience is universally uplifting and peaceful.
"It's a brilliant masterpiece you have created. I have no other word. Beyond its aesthetic and physical constituents it emodies so many things. You have reached some Truth in the form. I am sure you understand what I mean."
Daniel Kapelian, OMA Space, Seoul
Follow @tomlawton on Instagram or Twitter for the latest news.
Tom and Big Wonder
Holographic trademark copyright of Tom Lawton.
Wonder is also protected by five registered designs and has international patents pending. All rights reserved.
Images my not be used without prior written permission.
Tom's company Uplifting Products Ltd is no longer trading but enquiries for future commissions and installations can be sent directly to [email protected]
