Angela Conner

Angela Conner FRBS (born 1935) is an English sculptor who works in London. Conner has exhibited internationally and has large scale sculptures in public and private collections around the world.

Biography

In her early life as a sculptor, Conner assisted Barbara Hepworth.[1] She works in a wide range of materials including marble, steel, stone and perspex, with many of her sculptures incorporating water as an integral feature.[2] Conner's kinetic sculptures are concerned with utilizing "natural elements like water, sun, gravity or wind to create mobiles that entice viewers to stop and watch their gentle movement".[3] The movement of Conner's sculptures entirely depend on the natural forces they react with and not electricity. "If mankind were suddenly to die out, and if as a result there were no artificial power, the sculpture would still continue its pattern of opening and revealing, then closing and embracing" -Rob Cassy garden designer describing 'Revelation'; declared one of England's best water features by Country Life magazine.[4]

'Revelation' kinetic water sculpture by Angela Conner, at Chatsworth House

Unfortunately, despite claims that her sculptures would still continue to function sans human life, in reality electricity powers her sculptures and they are connected to a water utility rather than a spring or artesian well. In her long career, Conner has created many notable large scale kinetic sculptures which are entirely powered by natural forces. Conner's 129 ft water and wind sculpture 'Wave'[5] at Park West Dublin is possibly the tallest kinetic water and wind sculpture in Europe.

'Wave' 129ft wind and water sculpture by Angela Conner, at Park West in Dublin
'Rising Universe' (Shelley Fountain) kinetic water sculpture by Angela Conner – geograph.org.uk – 657948

Conner is also well known for her enigmatic figurative work modeled from life, which "on an intimate and personal level probe the character behind the mask".[6] Conner has created posthumous portraits, but prefers to work from life, -"working from life is a form, perhaps, of an osmosis. It has to be done by instinct; its not something you can do intellectually."[6] Chatsworth House has a collection of 14 bronze busts located in the grounds, including portraits of Lucian Freud, the Eleventh Duke of Devonshire, Harold Macmillan, Roy Strong, HRH the Prince of Wales, Camilla Parker-Bowles and John Betjeman.[7] Conner was commissioned to sculpt from life Queen Elizabeth II by the Knights of the Garter to mark the Queen's 80th birthday.[8][9][10]. Conner's statue of Laurence Olivier playing Hamlet was commissioned to celebrate the centenary of his birth and is located on the South Bank opposite the National Theatre.

In 1982 Conner created a memorial fountain to honour those repatriated as a result of the Yalta Conference following World War II. These were Russian and Eastern European people who were forceably repatriated to the USSR, often facing torture and execution. The first memorial from 1982 was a tilting water sculpture made of Hopton Stone, located on the north side of Thurloe Square opposite the Vicitoria and Albert Museum. It was repeatedly damaged, so Connor raised funds for a second memorial, Twelve Responses to Tragedy which was dedicated in 1986. The monument stands in the Yalta Memorial Garden in South Kensington.[11][12]

She has work in a number of US public collections including the Jewish Museum, New York and the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburg. Her work Quartet, for Heinx Hall Plaza Pittsburg, uses the weight of water flowing to make the four stainless steel shapes move in a regular rhythm.[13]

Conner's 12 busts atop the Twelve Responses to Tragedy memorial.

Conner is married to the photographer John Bulmer who often videos and photographs her sculptures. The couple live at Monnington on Wye, where they breed and train Morgan horses.[14][15][16]

Commissions

Kinetic Sculptures

Figurative Work

Exhibitions

Solo Shows
  • American Museum, Bath 2018 [21]
  • Galerie Piece Unique, Paris 2008
  • Inner Temple Gardens, Embankment, London 2004
  • 'The Chaos Factor', Browse and Darby, London 1989[22]
  • 'Sculptures for Landscape', Browse and Darby, London 1986[23]
  • Hirschl Gallery, Cork St, London
  • Library and Museum of the Performing Arts, Lincoln Centre, New York 1971
  • The Economist Plaza, London

Group Shows

Awards and honors

See also

References
  1. "Angela Conner Authorised Biography – Debrett's People of Today". debretts.co.uk.
  2. British sculptors of the twentieth century. Windsor, Alan. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. 2002. ISBN 1-85928-456-6. OCLC 50091596.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "Angela Conner Sculptor". angelaconner.co.uk.
  4. http://www.countrylife.co.uk/article/78233/Go-With-the-Flow.html%5B%5D
  5. "Entertainment". BBC News. 2 October 2003. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  6. "Sculptor Angela Conner of Monnington Court, Herefordshire". Herefordshire Life. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  7. "Page Not Found". chatsworth.org. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  8. Maev Kennedy. "Maev Kennedy: People". The Guardian.
  9. "The Times – UK News, World News and Opinion". The Times. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  10. "Bust is best". The Times.
  11. "Communist Victims/Twelve Responses to Tragedy". War Memorials Online. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  12. "Kingman Daily Miner – Google News Archive Search". Kingman Daily Miner. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
  13. British sculptors of the twentieth century. Windsor, Alan. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. 2002. ISBN 1-85928-456-6. OCLC 50091596.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Corrigan, Ed (23 February 1975). "Morgan Horses Bought by British Sculptress". The New York Times.
  15. "Sculptor Angela Conner of Monnington Court, Herefordshire". Herefordshire and Wye Valley Life. 19 February 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  16. Beyfus, Drusilla (6 October 2007). "Angela Conner: See the light". The Telegraph. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  17. "UK – England – Queen Mother statue unveiled". BBC. 13 March 2003.
  18. "de Gaulle statue". London Remembers.
  19. "Hush-hush tribute to SAS founder". The Daily Telegraph. 22 April 2002.
  20. "Page Not Found". chatsworth.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  21. "Angela Conner Sculptor » Face to Face with Angela Conner opens at American Museum and Gardens". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  22. "Angela Conner (Open Library)". openlibrary.org.
  23. "Sculptures for landscape (Open Library)". openlibrary.org.
  24. "Sculpture in the Garden". University of Leicester. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014.
  25. "Burghley House". Burghley.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. "Summer Exhibition 2012 – A Celebration of Modern British Sculpture at Beaux Arts". isendyouthis.com.
  28. "SHIFT – HAPPENING – A CELEBRATION: MODERN BRITISH SCULPTURE". SHIFT.
  29. "jerwoodsculpture.org".
  30. "New pieces for Jerwood Sculpture Park". Redditch Advertiser.
  31. "Home". kinetic-art.org. Archived from the original on 10 January 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  32. "Hereford College of Arts – Angela Conner". hca.ac.uk.
  33. "Angela Conner Sculptor » Conner Receives Pratt Legends Award". Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  34. "Martin Jennings FRBS wins the prestigious PMSA Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture for second time". PMSA. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
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