Moores’ bronze sculpture presents three smoothed, bone-like structures as they tessellate upon a poised patinated slab. This particular cast was made to be viewed as a stepping stone towards the larger, monumental sized sculptures that measure seven metres across.
The muted metallic forms have similar appearances; bulbous, curvaceous but also angular as they peak into tubular spurs. It’s as if they are bones from the same creature but from different locations in the body. The more flattened and harsh angles of the forms display a slight change in hue. But these are not insignificant, nor are they serendipitous – these are complex layers of colour applied with special chemicals and to achieve deeper contours on concave surfaces. These highlights and lowlights allow us to focus on the interconnectivity of the individual shapes, but also to see them as one. It’s also interesting to note that the sculpture offers a new perspective from every angle. It’s clear that there is no formal front or back. This is because Moores’ intrinsic and informed perception stems from his personal knowledge of the object. The sculpture oozes fluidity. This sort of tactile uniformity mirrors Moores creative process. By extracting shapes from nature, Moore collects, holds and draws his subjects; he took the time to familiarise himself with his findings. With these informed tangible encounters, Moore replicated organic shapes with slight adjustments, allowing him to create, ‘not a copy of nature, but (to) build on natures’ principles.
In order to communicate this hybrid form, Moore used classical technique and material in his sculpture. To say Moore understood his subject matter wouldn’t be enough. He was able to translate the secret languages of nature into something we can understand as a unified, dynamic object, that has been ossified in time.
CONNIE HOPE 