Vertical Squeeze

My name is Ian Houghton and I’m a metal artist based in Denver, Colorado. This sculpture is part of my recent exploration into the transformative nature of forged metal.

Using an 80-ton hydraulic press I built, and heating the steel to over 2,000 degrees, I allow the natural forces of heat and pressure to shape each piece. My role isn’t to control the movement but to guide it—letting the metal reveal its own story.

What begins as a cold, rigid mass becomes something alive—an interplay of softness and strength, structure and collapse. This transformation unveils the metal's organic side, creating forms that feel fluid despite their industrial origins.

As a child, I was captivated watching blacksmiths manipulate glowing steel, and I still feel that same sense of wonder every time I pull a piece of red-hot metal from the forge. It’s a powerful reminder of how even the hardest materials can yield to change, given the right conditions.