Lady Hare, contemporary art by Sophie Ryder in Bath town center UK
Sophie Ryder was born in London in 1963. She studied at Kingston Polytechnic (1980-81) and the Royal Academy Schools, London (1981-84). Her larger than life animal forms explore the boundary between the human, animal and mythological realms. Although Sophie is best known for using wire as a sculptural medium, she doesn't restrict herself to the use of one particular material for its own sake. Whatever material she uses, Sophie has always responded by looking closely at traditional working methods and then asking how else it could be used. Her Minotaur and Hare, a twisted and wrapped anthropomorphic sculpture made of galvanized wire standing on a ceramic base, are incompatible opposites. In Greek mythology the Minotaur, often portrayed as part man and part bull, is a figure of courage and terror, while the Hare symbolizes fertility, agility, and bravery. The story of the ferocious Minotaur is that he dwelt in the centre of a Labyrinth, an elaborate maze, built for King Minos of Crete. When Theseus, King and founder of Athens, learned of the Minotaur living in the maze he volunteered to slay the monster. When he arrived, Theseus met and fell in love with Minos’ daughter, Ariadne, who promised to provide him with means of escape from the maze. This was a simple ball of thread, which he fastened to the entrance. As he made his way through the Labyrinth, the thread unwound until he found the sleeping monster. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus found his way out of the maze by retracing the path of the thread. The idea of making three-dimensional sculptures entirely from wire was pioneered by Sophie Ryder. She starts off with a metal armature which is then covered with wire of different thickness and sources. These might include bed springs and other pieces salvaged from skips. She uses her bare hands and pliers, sometimes aided by a hammer to shape the wire. These outdoor exhibits were on show in Bath, UK until 1/9/09.
Size: 3872px × 2592px
Location: Abbey Square Bath Somerset England United Kingdom Europe
Photo credit: © eddie linssen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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