Dimensions: object: 622 x 609 x 609 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Barry Flanagan, courtesy Plubronze Ltd | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Barry Flanagan’s "Carving No. 2," a stone sculpture from around the late 20th century. It feels playful, with these stacked, almost cartoonish, shapes. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I'm drawn to how Flanagan challenges the traditional idea of monumental sculpture. Instead of bronze or marble, he uses everyday stone, playing with form and gravity in a way that subverts expectations. Where do you think it might fit within the art world's view of sculpture at the time? Editor: Perhaps as a rejection of the serious, imposing sculptures of the past? A way to make art more accessible and less...intimidating? Curator: Exactly! It reflects a broader shift in the art world towards democratization and the embrace of the everyday. It redefines sculpture and the gallery space, doesn't it? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, viewing it in terms of societal shifts in art. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It’s all about understanding the conversation the artist is having with their time.
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This consists of four separate elements. It is part of the same series of carved works as 'Carving No. 13' also displayed here. The organic tongue-like shape is a scaled-up version of a small model made by the artist by rolling a cone of clay in his hands. This was then interpreted in marble by a craftsman working with the artist at Pietrasanta near Pisa in Italy, where there are many marble carving studios. Flanagan has compared the marble carvers to musicians interpreting a score. The disc supporting the abstract shape is based on the cap of a staddle stone, traditionally used to prevent rats attacking hay ricks. The three marble balls are based on cannon balls. Gallery label, August 2004
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