I received a postcard on Friday featuring a photograph of The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney.
Apparently, the Centre was established in 1979 to provide a home for an important collection of British fine art donated by the author, peace activist and philanthropist Margaret Gardiner (1904 – 2005). Being an inquisitive type, I immediately Googled the centre to see what was in the collection. I was pleasantly surprised.
Amongst the work is a sculpture by the Russian artist Naum Gabo (1890 – 1977) Linear Construction No. 1, 1942-3. This was Gabo’s first sculpture in which he used string-like nylon filament, made in St Ives, and that was to have a profound effect upon artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Peter Lanyon and John Wells. Originally conceived as a large-scale public sculpture, it is one of seventeen versions that Gabo made over a twenty-year period.
Interestingly, Gabo was also an important influence on London based artist Victoria Rance. Rance was born in Streatley, Berkshire, in 1959. She studied at North Oxfordshire Technical College (1978-79) and in the Department of Fine Art at Newcastle University (1979-83). Like Gabo her work is an exploration of space, but more specifically it is concerned with creating spaces for humans to inhabit, either physically or in the imagination.
Rance’s sculpture to wear series for example, creates a sheltering skin that protects or alters the sense of self in a hostile world. The sculptures have elements of ceremonial architecture and costume, both contemporary and historic. Physically they test the tension between protective constraint and freedom of movement.
Her works evolve slowly, but at this time she says “ that she is returning to ideas pursued as a student”.
Take a peek at this: sculpture and animation: by Victoria Rance
