Life Size Contemporary Sculptural Works
This exhibition called “Entropy” is a tribute to the strength and bravery of War Horses.
Louise's sculptural work uses a dramatic yet sympathetic approach to conjure up the painful reality of war through equine eyes. Her skilled approach captures our imagination and sympathetically connects us with a reality outside our own. LIFE SIZE Technically accurate works illustrate a world of horror and fear pushing us out of our comfort zone and pulling us into the hearts of these magnificent animals.
Artist Statement
"Entropy" is a collection of four equine sculptures that force us to delve into the conscious and unconscious mind of suffering. Through equine eyes I have created contemporary sculptures which marry both technical accuracy with a very raw emotional undertone. I have created these pieces to shed light on the horrors of war and give a voice to those forgotten heroes whose bravery and strength often went unnoticed.
Through the process of physically building up layer by layer these animals have been created, from their internal wooden skeletal structures to building out the anatomy of the muscle and flesh with paper and wire to the skin-thin top layer of plaster and bandages, I hope to give a dramatic yet sympathetic feel to these artworks. The choice to use plaster covered bandages was deliberate and something that had been an essential part of the works due to its medical use to heal the wounded and broken. Layer upon layer was added to give support and strength to the forms, as each dried the process then suspended them into a moment in time that from that second on was lost to history. The boxes were made and distressed as a twist on classical sculpture and gallery installation presentation. Often clean cut and impeccably presented, the idea to distress them seemed obvious as a somewhat rebellious act against perfection, and I felt these creatures deserved to not be spectacles to entertain but to horrify and empathise with. The barbed wire was something that I felt was a necessary addition to pull together the narrative and twist this sense of gallery presentation and expectation within a gallery environment. I wanted people from all walks of life to stop for a second and just feel, feel sorrow, grief, loss and relate to the horrors - feeling a sense of anticipation for what the next second could uncover, if we had the opportunity to press the un-pause button.
These horses have become part of me as an artist, maybe an internalised battle with my own self from coming back into the art school environment after 11 years being away, 7 years of which I worked commercially as a full time professional animal portrait artist. My own practice had been traditional 2D painting and drawing and therefore sculpture was a completely new medium for me to work in. I have loved every second and especially working on the ceramic pieces, from the sculpting to the firing and through the whole Raku process. I love the hands-on approach of working which I feel has helped me grow and expand so much as an artist. In twelve short months sculpting I can honestly say I have never looked back and wish to continue this type of work in the future. Plans are also in place to add Bronze Sculpture to my new practice alongside the ceramics and large installation type works.
"Entropy" is a collection of four equine sculptures that force us to delve into the conscious and unconscious mind of suffering. Through equine eyes I have created contemporary sculptures which marry both technical accuracy with a very raw emotional undertone. I have created these pieces to shed light on the horrors of war and give a voice to those forgotten heroes whose bravery and strength often went unnoticed.
Through the process of physically building up layer by layer these animals have been created, from their internal wooden skeletal structures to building out the anatomy of the muscle and flesh with paper and wire to the skin-thin top layer of plaster and bandages, I hope to give a dramatic yet sympathetic feel to these artworks. The choice to use plaster covered bandages was deliberate and something that had been an essential part of the works due to its medical use to heal the wounded and broken. Layer upon layer was added to give support and strength to the forms, as each dried the process then suspended them into a moment in time that from that second on was lost to history. The boxes were made and distressed as a twist on classical sculpture and gallery installation presentation. Often clean cut and impeccably presented, the idea to distress them seemed obvious as a somewhat rebellious act against perfection, and I felt these creatures deserved to not be spectacles to entertain but to horrify and empathise with. The barbed wire was something that I felt was a necessary addition to pull together the narrative and twist this sense of gallery presentation and expectation within a gallery environment. I wanted people from all walks of life to stop for a second and just feel, feel sorrow, grief, loss and relate to the horrors - feeling a sense of anticipation for what the next second could uncover, if we had the opportunity to press the un-pause button.
These horses have become part of me as an artist, maybe an internalised battle with my own self from coming back into the art school environment after 11 years being away, 7 years of which I worked commercially as a full time professional animal portrait artist. My own practice had been traditional 2D painting and drawing and therefore sculpture was a completely new medium for me to work in. I have loved every second and especially working on the ceramic pieces, from the sculpting to the firing and through the whole Raku process. I love the hands-on approach of working which I feel has helped me grow and expand so much as an artist. In twelve short months sculpting I can honestly say I have never looked back and wish to continue this type of work in the future. Plans are also in place to add Bronze Sculpture to my new practice alongside the ceramics and large installation type works.