Michael Sandle's talk

Award winning sculptor Michael Sandle RA was suggested as someone who might come and talk to us about his sculptures by Robert Hiscox who knows him well, and has bought some of his work,
The RA says this about him:
'Michael Sandle studied at Douglas School of Art and Technology, Isle of Man from 1951 to 1954 and the Slade School of Fine Art, London from 1956 to 1959. In his early work he emphasised craftsmanship and the search for symbols, rejecting the formalism increasingly common in sculpture of the period. Throughout the 1960s and ’70s he worked on a small range of individual works in which he explored abstract and figurative idioms.

Following his appointment as professor of sculpture at Pforzheim, Germany in 1973, and at Karlsruhe, Germany in 1980, Sandle’s work became more monumental, partly in response to a series of significant commemorative commissions. His work voices criticisms of what Sandle describes as “the heroic decadence” of capitalism, in particular its appetite for global conflict. He has also attacked the media for packaging and sanitising the destructiveness of war. He was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 1994.
He has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions in Britain and internationally including the 5th Paris Biennale, 4th and 6th Documenta and Sao Paulo Biennale.'
If you scroll down his page on the RA's website, you'll see his just how wide his fame has spread. I was very much in awe of the man, and very pleased that Robert Hiscox was able to give him a suitable introduction. I haven't taken any decent photos, but the talk was excellent. He was entertaining and self deprecating, and we were so fortunate to have had him to talk to the Friends.

Below a bronze 'Woman for Heidelberg' photographed in Ludlow Castle in 2007

 Below 'A 20th Century Memorial' at the Duveen Gallery 201

 'St George and the Dragon Fountain'  on display at Dorset Rise in London

 Below, one of the installations Michael Sandle is proudest about, the WW2 Malta Siege Memorial, the 13.5 tonne bell being hoisted into the cupola in Valetta in 1991.

 I loved this detail of men in a boat in one of the sculptures.

Do have a look at 'Homage to Brunel' when you're next in the gallery at the museum, here's a portion of it:

Thank you once again Michael Sandle for taking the time to come and share some of your ideas with us, and of course for the wonderful images of your sculptures.