This autumn, enliven your home with Alba. Our new interior sculpture.

Hydra

Inspired by the graceful movement of aquatic plants, the Hydra’s verdigris bronze fronds stretch skyward, creating sweeping curves and reflections. This slender sculpture comes alive by night, casting mysterious shadows and inviting personal poetry to adorn its elegant branches.

Variations & finishes

Tall, narrow teal and yellow ribbons evoke a hydra bronze and gold leaf contemporary abstract sculpture, rising vertically among blurred green foliage in soft natural light against a lush, leafy garden backdrop.

1. Bronze and Gold Leaf

Verdigris or antique tan patina bronze and 24-carat gold leaf

A modern hydra bronze and gold leaf contemporary abstract sculpture features turquoise blue, curved metal beams intertwining vertically, with a small golden reflective element nestled between two beams. The bright green hedge and lawn form a vibrant backdrop on a sunny day.

2. Bronze and Stainless Steel

Verdigris or antique tan patina bronze and mirror-polished stainless steel

3. Stainless Steel

Mirror-polished stainless steel

DH-Silhouette-Hydra.jpg

Hydra is available in three sizes with larger sizes available on request. This sculpture is lit with a warm white LED.

Available standard size

Hydra comes in 220cm, 275cm, 300cm. Other sizes available on request.

Available finishes

Bronze, Bronze and Stainless Steel, Bronze and Gold Leaf, Stainless Steel

Example scale

220cm, 275cm, 300cm
(Model scale: 180cm)

Design details

“You have all been fantastic at David Harber. From improving, at our request, the lead time to storing the sculpture because we were not ready! The guys who visited the site were very polite, clean and tidy. They waited around for a considerable amount of time for the client to approve the facing of the sculpture.”

 

Kate Gould Gardens

A garden with colourful flowers and bushes lines a brick path leading to a hydra bronze and gold leaf contemporary abstract sculpture at the Knowle Hill Farm, Kent. Green trees provide a lush backdrop, and sunlight illuminates the vibrant, well-maintained landscape.

Hydra is inspired by the gentle swaying and vertical movement of aquatic plants. Individual fronds interact with one another to create sweeping curves, shadows and reflections. The opportunity to personalise the sculpture by including words of wisdom on two of the fronds adds an atmosphere of intimacy.

Two people work in a workshop on a large, zigzag-shaped metal piece, possibly a hydra bronze and gold leaf contemporary abstract sculpture. One person welds while the other observes, with an industrial roller shutter and tools in the background.

Working as a team to create a bespoke large-scale Hydra for Denver Water.

Close-up of a weathered, turquoise hydra bronze contemporary abstract sculpture with engraved text reading “light of one small candle.” The slightly curved metal surface stands out against blurred greenery, making the inscription the focal point.

The ability to personalise this outdoor sculpture with an engraved motto or quotation can make it into an intimate artwork.

The sculpture comes with a discreet single LED uplighter for after dark, allowing the twisting fronts to cast myriad shadows. 

A tall, hydra bronze and gold leaf contemporary abstract sculpture stands amid lush green ferns and flowering bushes in a vibrant garden. Sunlight filters through weeping willow and red-leaved trees, casting dappled light on the scene.
A tall contemporary abstract sculpture with curved, teal-blue metal blades twists upward like a hydra. Warm yellow light glows from within, while the lush garden background adds to the peaceful atmosphere.

Product information

Hydra comes with its own base plate that needs to be bolted down onto a smooth and level foundation pad which should be sited below ground level. This allows room for an electric cable and for the base of the sculpture to be covered in gravel or planting giving the illusion that it is growing out from the ground.  The piece can also sit above the water with the base plate being adjusted accordingly to meet the specific set up.

The piece should not be placed in positions prone to strong cross winds as over time significant movement could weaken the base of the sculpture. A stainless steel Hydra, should be placed in dappled or full shade to avoid any potential scorching that the slightly irregular reflection may cause to the surrounding area.

Installation and delivery are included in the price for UK commissions, and for overseas shipping and installation quotes can be obtained

The bronze the Hydra is made from will exhibit some natural weathering with age, however, periodic cleaning will help preserve its beauty. We would recommend that it be cleaned at least once a year with only warm water and a soft cloth to remove any detritus. The stainless-steel version should firstly be washed with a hose, to remove any dust or sand particles, and then cleaned and polished with glass cleaner. Use of any abrasive cleaner will damage the finish and must be avoided. Maintenance instructions will be issued on installation.

Get in touch

Whether you’ve decided on a piece, or you just want to sound out any aspect of our work, then please do get in touch.

Request a brochure

A book cover with a dark teal textured background features faint concentric circles. At the top, large white text reads DAVID HARBER. At the bottom, smaller white text says AS IF BY MAGIC. The cover casts a subtle shadow to the right.
A book spread shows the left page with the title A MIRROR TO YOUR WORLD and text, while the right page features a photo of a shiny stainless steel torus contemporary sculpture on a manicured lawn, reflecting trees and greenery in a garden setting.
An open book displays a large RAF Brize Norton bespoke globe sculpture with three model aeroplanes mounted on it, set outdoors against a twilight sky. The left page has text about the Royal Air Force; the right shows the sculpture amid greenery and lights.
Brochure
The Classic Collection
108 pages
Brochure
The Commercial Collection
46 pages