“Brutal Beauty”: This Russian Craftsman Makes Unique Steampunk Art From Steel And Crude Iron

Today gold or jewels will barely raise an eyebrow – these materials are everywhere and each item made of them costs a lot, no matter if it’s worth it. Nikolay Savinkov, a self-employed entrepreneur from Moscow, challenges this approach. His works are made of cheap materials but demonstrate real craftsmanship.

“I used to sell such trash while working in jewelry sales!” Nikolay Savinkov, the founder and the only full-time employee of the Nik Faber studio, recalls with a laugh. “Every item made of gold or other precious metal costs a lot, no matter how primitive it is. You can simply put a hole in a gold brick – wow, it’s already a treasure. It was pissing me off.”

One day, long after leaving his job in jewelry sales, Savinkov decided to shake things up and prove that real art depends on the mastery of the artist, not on the material. So he launched his own small enterprise, Nik Faber.

“My aim is to prove that art can be created not only with cheap materials, like black steel or crude iron, but also without fine jewelry tools,” Savinkov explains.

He works predominantly with semi-automatic welding machines, angle grinders and screwdrivers. The result is impressive, with tiny details worked through scrupulously.

More info: Nik Farber (h/t: rbth)