<<<< marbles

' Barockes Übungsbeispiel ' is I believe the German for ' absurd paradigm ', which seemed to sum up the mental and physical test this sculpture proved to be. I also saw it as a technical exercise in which I could try different techniques (symmetrical form, multiple raised edges) on a larger scale than I had previously attempted. It could be seen as a ' model example ' but an example of something you probably wouldn't want to repeat.

I started it in 1998 with the idea of making some kind of ancient-looking urn or ornament, but my maquette was not too good and the piece lost its way a bit and I became stuck. I left it for six months saying that I didn't like marble anyway, it was too glassy looking and pretty, but then I decided to tackle it again and treat it as a way of learning techniques and hopefully the piece as a whole would slowly resolve itself. It was a good lesson in why you need a good maquette to begin with and I think I learnt a great deal in pushing myself even though the piece as a whole may not hold up as a form I am particularly proud of.

The Germanic theme derives from my enthusiasm for the music of Bach and Beethoven, the term ' barockes ' being once used to contemptuously describe the complexities of one of Beethoven's works.