Modern Metal Sculptures
Modern metal sculpture by Corey Ellis lives in spaces that have already done the hard work - clean architecture, restrained palette, intentional furniture - and need a single piece that gives the room its center. Welded copper, patinated steel, and mixed metal, made by hand.
What this work is
Modern in Corey's hands means disciplined silhouette, considered surface, and weight without noise. The pieces don't decorate the room - they hold it. Material choices stay narrow on any single work so the form does the talking.
Modern in this studio means restraint pulled into metal. The lineage runs through Brancusi's silhouette discipline, mid-20th century welded sculpture, and the present-day modernist interior - rooms where one strong piece does more than a wall of art.
Every modern commission is built one piece at a time. Nothing is editioned, and the surface is finished by hand so the work reads as made rather than fabricated.
What makes a Corey Ellis piece in this style
- Single dominant silhouette per piece, no competing geometry.
- Patinated copper or brushed stainless allowed to carry the surface.
- Welds finished or left visible depending on the piece's intent.
- Negative space treated as part of the composition.
What the work is built from
Warm tonal range from oxidized greens to deep amber.
Brushed or mirror polished for cooler, reflective surfaces.
Quiet structural metal for restrained, weighted forms.
Layered passages when the room asks for tonal contrast.
Who this style is for
- Modern homes with quieter palettes and intentional architecture.
- Designers who want a focal piece that won't fight the room.
- Office and lobby spaces that lean modern rather than corporate.
- Collectors building around a clean visual language.
Spaces this style anchors
- Great rooms with double-height walls and limited furniture.
- Hotel lobbies and restaurant feature walls.
- Corporate reception and boardroom anchor walls.
- Stairwells where a vertical piece can run two stories.
From the studio
Sizing, finish, and how to brief the studio
Modern pieces are most often commissioned between 36 inches and 12 feet on the dominant axis. For two-story walls, sculpture is designed to read at distance and up close. Mounting hardware is sized to the piece.
Send wall dimensions, photos in daylight and lamp light, and any architectural drawings if available. Corey replies with a direction, rough scale, and material recommendation before any deposit is discussed.
Frequently asked
- How is modern different from contemporary in Corey's work?
- Modern leans on cleaner silhouettes and a quieter surface vocabulary. Contemporary pushes harder on scale, texture, and present-tense material treatment. The two overlap; the difference is emphasis.
- Can a modern piece be commissioned at any scale?
- Yes. Modern wall and freestanding pieces range from intimate to architectural depending on the room.
- What finishes are available on modern pieces?
- Brushed and polished stainless steel, patinated copper, blackened steel, and matte clear-coated raw steel. The finish is chosen to match how light moves in the room.
- Do modern pieces work in commercial lobbies?
- Yes. Many of the modern works are commissioned for hotel lobbies, corporate offices, and ground-floor retail anchors where a single sculpture has to hold a tall wall.
- How are modern wall pieces mounted?
- Concealed cleats, standoff hardware, or freestanding sculpture bases - selected per piece based on weight, wall type, and how the work is meant to sit off the wall.
Related work and pages
Start a Custom Artwork Inquiry
Share dimensions, space, and any imagery that inspires the project. Corey reviews every inquiry personally.