Ben Beames – Battery Point Iron Man

Artist blacksmith Ben Beames’ workshop was situated in Muir’s Boatyard where he could be found practising his craft during daylight hours. To watch him at the forge transforming shapeless raw material into superb metal creations was to witness a master at work.

Ben’s work is familiar to many people as he created the fire beacons and massive fire cross for Dark Mofo. He has produced and performed a variety of works for MONA as well as undertaking numerous commissions for contemporary metal objects.

Originally from South Australia, Ben was pleased to have ‘survived’ 16 winters in Tasmania. He spent half the year in New Orleans, where his girlfriend is also a blacksmith. When overseas, Ben regularly gave performances and taught sculpture classes. He came third in the World Blacksmithing Championships in Italy. While in the USA , he and a group of other blacksmiths forged stark naked in the Burning Man Project in Black Rock, Nevada – an unforgettable experience according to Ben!

Ben worked long hours. As a side interest, he restored a 1975 Bedford truck and a 1957 BSA B31 motorcycle. He could sometimes be heard riding to work through Battery Point on his restored 1975 Honda CB twin motorcycle, which, Ben asserts, makes a ‘beautiful’ noise.