Kevin Francis Gray

Wonderful exhibition at Pace Gallery at the Royal Academy showing new work by the sculptor Kevin Francis Gray.

The centre piece was “Twelve Chambers” twelve life sized nude figures in bronze. Other than two couples each figure stood alone but were grouped around one another. It was like being at a party with people who didn’t speak to each other. I wanted to take round canapés! Each figure was individually beautiful but became more powerful as a group. All the figures are based on real people who live near the artist and are named.

I was not so sure about the marble figure called “The Ballerina” as it was almost too beautifully finished and polished. I preferred the rawness of the bronze.

Finally there were four big bronze heads, again of people local to the artists. These were hollow but the inside was burnished so that a smoothly shining surface showed through the features on the face. Again I found these very powerful and they would look lovely in an outdoor space.

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