Franklyn Beckford 

Contest entry

Title: A Sculptural Investigation

This sculptural work explores the mathematical principles governing the inflation of balloons and their relation to anomalous diffusion. By inflating balloons of varying sizes, I have engaged with the formula for pressure-volume expansion:

PV = nRT

where P is pressure,  V is volume,  n is the amount of gas,  R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature. The non-uniform expansion of each balloon introduces surface distortions dictated by material elasticity, forming unpredictable topographies—analogous to stochastic diffusion equations such as:

\frac{\partial P(x,t)}{\partial t} = D \nabla^\alpha P(x,t)

where D is the diffusion coefficient and P represents anomalous scaling. These inflated forms, once cast in cotton yarn, preserve the chaotic yet mathematically governed deformations of the latex membrane.

By fusing multiple casts together, the sculpture captures an interplay of expansion forces, constrained diffusion, and structural memory of my gases made up of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide in varying scales of volumes. The final form is an equilibrium between order and organic randomness, reflecting how natural systems balance deterministic laws with stochastic behavior. The work materializes invisible physical forces into a tangible, dynamic composition—transforming mathematical abstraction into sculptural reality. That also conjures up a seemingly undiscovered  new species or perhaps the decomposing.

Artist biography

Franklyn studied BA Fine Art Sculpture at University for the Creative Arts (UCA), followed by a postgraduate course in theatre design at the Motley Theatre Design Course at Riverside Studios. His sculptural practice explores themes of identity and transformation. Exhibiting in group shows at the Royal Academy Summer Show 2024, David Gentleman Gallery Hertford, Whitechapel Gallery, Fruitmarket Gallery, Jam Factory Oxford, Ikon Gallery. And recently a solo exhibition at the Brothership Gallery Hertford.