{"id":939850,"date":"2026-05-05T18:20:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T18:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/939850\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T18:20:20","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T18:20:20","slug":"tracing-the-arc-of-british-sculpture-from-modernism-to-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/939850\/","title":{"rendered":"Tracing the Arc of British Sculpture From Modernism to Today"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In London, a new exhibition traces the storied history of British sculpture through the Modern and contemporary period, illuminating an approach to form and material unique to artists working in the British creative landscape. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/bowmansculpture.com\/events\/modern-british-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Modern British: Modern &amp; Contemporary British Sculpture<\/a>\u201d at <strong>Bowman Sculpture<\/strong> is comprised of both iconic, blue-chip names as well as rising voices within the realm of British sculpture today, together offering new perspectives and cross-generational dialogues.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2770123\" class=\" wp-image-2770123\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/henry-moore-small-seated-figure-bowman-sculpture-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A small bronze sculpture of a seated human figure displayed on a wooden plinth inside a glass case. The figure is stylized and somewhat abstract, with elongated limbs and a simplified head, sitting with one knee raised and arms resting on its legs. The background is softly blurred, emphasizing the sculpture. Featured in a British sculpture exhibition at Bowman Sculpture, London.\" width=\"909\" height=\"606\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2770123\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Henry Moore, Small Seated Figure (conceived ca. 1936; this example cast 1957). Courtesy of Bowman Sculpture.<\/p>\n<p>On view through May 29, 2026, the show also speaks to the gallery\u2019s ethos, which was founded in 1993 by <strong>Michele<\/strong> and <a href=\"https:\/\/news.artnet.com\/art-world\/7-questions-robert-bowman-auguste-rodin-2506796\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Robert<\/strong> <strong>Bowman<\/strong><\/a>, and is now co-helmed with their daughter <strong>Mica Bowman<\/strong>. Originally focused on Modern masters, like <strong>Edgar Degas<\/strong>, <strong>Pablo Picasso<\/strong>, and <strong>Henry Moore<\/strong>, today, reflecting a nuanced evolution, Bowman Sculpture has expanded to incorporate cutting edge emerging and established contemporary artists.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2770133\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-2770133\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/eduardo-paolozzi-richard-rogers-as-newton-bowman-sculpture-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A bronze sculpture of a crouching male figure leaning forward over a small arrangement of geometric forms. The figure\u2019s posture is compact, with bent knees and one hand extended downward, interacting with upright rods and block-like elements on the base. The surface is textured and industrial in feel, and the piece is displayed on a pedestal in a gallery setting. Featured in a British sculpture exhibition at Bowman Sculpture, London.\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2770133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Eduardo Paolozzi, Richard Rogers as Newton (1990; numbered 3\/6). Courtesy of Bowman Sculpture.<\/p>\n<p>Highlights of the dozen artists featured in \u201cModern British\u201d include a piece by one of the country\u2019s most acclaimed sculptors Henry Moore. Small Seated Figure was first conceived during one of the artist\u2019s most prodigious periods, and is exemplary of his signature, semi-abstract figurative style.<\/p>\n<p>Elsewhere, the meticulous work of Scottish artist <strong>Eduardo Paolozzi<\/strong>, Richard Rogers as Newton, uses the artist\u2019s monumental Newton after William Blake as a reference point. While the latter is situated in the forecourt of the <strong>British Library<\/strong>, an icon of the urban landscape, the intimately scaled reinterpretation of the sculpture offers viewers a closer, individual experience with the motif.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2770132\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-2770132\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/joanna-allen-consumption-pattern-bowman-sculpture-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A polished dark bronze sculpture of two human heads stacked vertically on a pedestal, one upright and one inverted, their lips nearly touching at a thin horizontal disc between them. The minimalist gallery setting and focused lighting emphasize the smooth surface and reflective quality of the forms. Featured in a British sculpture exhibition at Bowman Sculpture, London.\" width=\"904\" height=\"603\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2770132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joanna Allen, Consumption Pattern (numbered 4\/9). Courtesy of Bowman Sculpture.<\/p>\n<p>Another touchstone in the history and evolution of British sculpture, <strong>Lynn Chadwick<\/strong> is represented in the exhibition with the intriguing Maquette Two Sitting Figures. Chadwick\u2019s distinctive execution of figuration, which evokes psychological elements of surrealism and pioneering new approaches to abstraction in the third dimension.<\/p>\n<p>The curated selection of historic pieces is complemented by emerging talents, like <strong>Rufus<\/strong> <strong>Martin<\/strong> and <strong>Joanna<\/strong> <strong>Allen<\/strong>. Allen is represented by Bowman Sculpture, and was the subject of her first solo with the gallery in 2025 with \u201cSubconscious Playground.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2770136\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\" wp-image-2770136\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/lynn-chadwick-maquette-two-sitting-figures-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"An abstract bronze sculpture of two seated human figures on a pedestal, each with angular, faceted bodies and geometric heads\u2014one topped with a rectangular form and the other with a triangular shape. Their elongated legs extend forward, and the dark, textured surface contrasts with the smooth, light-colored gallery wall behind them.\" width=\"855\" height=\"570\"  \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-2770136\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lynn Chadwick, Maquette Two Sitting Figures (conceived 1971; edition of 6). Courtesy of Bowman Sculpture.<\/p>\n<p>Taken collectively, \u201cModern British\u201d promises visitors\u2014both those familiar with British sculpture and those new to its celebrated history\u2014a cogent glimpse at the ever-evolving work of British sculptors, and points to their significance and influence both within Britain as well as beyond its borders.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/bowmansculpture.com\/events\/modern-british-3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Modern British: Modern &amp; Contemporary British Sculpture<\/a>\u201d is on view at Bowman Sculpture, London, through May 29, 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In London, a new exhibition traces the storied history of British sculpture through the Modern and contemporary period,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":939851,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5018,3,4],"tags":[253699,262592,50086,748,262586,262587,262591,393,4884,146738,262589,257,262588,177111,1144,74627,262590,712,16,15,1764],"class_list":{"0":"post-939850","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-britain","8":"category-uk","9":"category-united-kingdom","10":"tag-artnet-news","11":"tag-artnet-news-partner","12":"tag-bowman-sculpture","13":"tag-britain","14":"tag-british-summer","15":"tag-eduardo-paolozzi","16":"tag-emily-young","17":"tag-england","18":"tag-great-britain","19":"tag-henry-moore","20":"tag-joanna-allen","21":"tag-london","22":"tag-lynn-chadwick","23":"tag-modern-british","24":"tag-northern-ireland","25":"tag-partner-content","26":"tag-rufus-martin","27":"tag-scotland","28":"tag-uk","29":"tag-united-kingdom","30":"tag-wales"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116523357563781345","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=939850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939850\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/939851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=939850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=939850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=939850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}