Join us at the free outdoor exhibition
We are pleased to announce the first outdoor public exhibition in the UAE by Tony Cragg, one of the world’s most distinguished contemporary sculptors, organised by Leila Heller Gallery.
- Open until 15 September 2017
- Dubai International Financial Centre Gate
Showcasing one of the world’s most distinguished contemporary sculptors as a part of the UK/UAE 2017 is a great honour for us.” Gavin Anderson, Country Director, British Council UAE
Located in front of DIFC’s iconic ‘The Gate’ building, the exhibition will feature three largescale works in bronze and stainless steel. With their placement in the public garden space, these sculptures inspire viewers to see one’s surroundings in creative new ways, which encourage innovative thoughts and ideas.
The UK/UAE 2017 season will see public works of art and site-specific performances, installations and events suitable for all ages in public spaces and will bring audiences, artists and experts together, opening dialogues and new perspectives around their experiences. With a career that spans 40 years, the project brings one of the most celebrated living British sculptors to the UAE and celebrates contemporary British arts and cultural heritage, introducing it to new audiences in the UAE.
About Tony Cragg's work
Cragg's sculptural body of work is distinguished by its surprising formal innovations and combinations. Signature to his work are the employment of horizontal extensions of the biomorphic form, or inversely, the verticality of his pillar-like sculptures - arriving at a reduction of the natural form through an abstract formal language.
One of the most unique qualities about Cragg’s sculptural process is the primacy of the material. Through a radically experimental approach of using material and forms shaping the world around us, he frequently applies techniques such as stacking, layering and heaping, resulting in unexpected interpretations.
Making a new form gives us a new word, give us a new term, gives us a new emotion. Sculpture expands the possibilities of our own horizon and allows us to expand our imagination.” Tony Cragg
Cragg has developed a method for casting bronze works that appear to be liquid or molten. In Wild Relatives and Caught Dreaming, one can witness the manifestation of the horizontal extensions and stacking of the hauntingly familiar, yet not quite recognizable, flowing bronze forms. Likewise, Points of View’s sinuous, shining tower of stainless steel is reminiscent of a beacon. When viewing this elegant elongated tower, the composition is so fluid that one wonders if the form is rising up or flowing down. These sculptures were specifically selected by Cragg after his time at DIFC to inspire contemplation between the business environment and the world around us.
