I studied Fine Art Sculpture at Brighton University where I was introduced to Bruce McLean's work. His iconic 'Pose Work For Plinths' 1971 was referenced a lot in terms of discussing 'the body as sculpture'. Later on I got to know his paintings, screenprints, ceramics and have since always loved his work.
In my own practice, I made many drawings of noses and also cast them. I was aware that Bruce had made work about noses too. Once I was lucky enough to meet him at an art fair and started to talk to him. As an ice breaker, I said that he had a good nose. This got us discussing noses, he mentioned a piece he made called 'Nose in Repose' which was a nod to his friend and fellow artist Barry Flanagan who had made a sculpture with that title. I later got in contact with his studio and asked him if I could cast his nose, he kindly agreed. I caught the train back to my studio with an alginate cast of his nose in a cardboard box which I then plastered and made a silicone mould from it. This first edition of 10 was produced in 2018.
Fast forward to 2024 I was invited to contribute to his merchandise of "I Want My Crown" at The National Galleries of Scotland. This new edition is different because they are cast in jesmonite and all individually signed by Bruce McLean.
