I finally got up to the Castle to see their exhibition of blacksmithing skills, which was absolutely fascinating!
Apparently it all started at Hereford College, which runs a blacksmithing course (something quite unusual in Further Education, if not unique in the country). The tutor issued a challenge for the students to make something - anything they liked - out of a piece of iron 150mm x 20mm x 20mm. Which is not very big at all. Pictures were shared on the internet under the hashtag #150mmchallenge - and it went viral. Blacksmiths from all over the world started to take part, and post their own pictures.
This exhibition is the result - there are pieces from all over the world, several from the USA, one I noticed from Russia, and elsewhere, as well as the UK. The inventiveness is amazing - from tools to revolving structures to works of art. One piece looked as if the blacksmith had just flattened his rod of iron, until you looked closer to see the anatomically correct heart etched into the surface. Here are some of my favourite exhibits:
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