HMFE
Nicholas Pope: the Sacred and the Profane (No. 43)
Nicholas Pope: the Sacred and the Profane (No. 43)
Couldn't load pickup availability
Description
Nicholas Pope's sculptures have always maintained a tense equilibrium of opposites, from the interplay of gravity and weight in his early 'Chalk' sculptures, to more recent works that tackle virtue, vice, and the idea of belief.
In this essay, Jonathan Vickery delves into Pope's artistic career: from leaving Bath Academy of Art in 1973, the early years of his career spent in communist Romania, and the growing demand for his work that followed; through the creative fatigue that led him to Africa, where serious illness resulted in career breakdown; to his gradual re-emergence as an artist with radically different objectives.
In this later period, Pope became concerned with the subjects of belief, spirituality and biblical narrative. Generally subject to a cultural taboo within the art world, Pope combined these elements with an irrepressible sexuality that is considered taboo in places or worship. The resulting works can be at once grotesque and visually stunning; but are they an expression of reverence or an act of blasphemy? Are they sacred or profane?
Vickery argues that questions such as these become redundant, as each object is part of a larger narrative that is Pope's journey, an artist's attempt to retrieve the lost complexity of morality and language through confessions and reflection, and asking taboo questions: what's the meaning of life? My life?
There may be signs of age or yellowing to the pages as these are original copies from the publishing year. This is reflected in the pricing of the text.
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
General shipping information
UK delivery
Shipping is calculated at checkout based on the size and weight of the item.
We aim to ship orders within 3 working days via Royal Mail.
Please be aware that we ship from two locations, Leeds and
Hertfordshire, and therefore your order may not arrive together. There
may also be two postage fees, which will be clearly displayed at the
checkout stage of your purchase.
International delivery
We do not ship internationally.
Custom print orders
Custom prints are made to order by our partners King and McGaw, so take a little longer to prepare.
King and McGaw aim to dispatch custom prints within 2-4 weeks.
Refunds and returns
Please contact us at shop@henry-moore.org
if you have any queries regarding returning damaged or faulty items, or
have simply changed your mind about a purchase. We are happy to refund
any items that are returned in saleable condition and in their original
packaging.
For items returned that are not damaged or faulty, the buyer is
responsible for the cost of postage. With proof of purchase items can be
returned in person at our on-site locations.
