Oval Form (Trezion)

myminifactory

The relentless tides sculpted an intricate calligraphy on the weathered granite shore, where feldspar and mica sparkled in a kaleidoscope of colors. The rich geological history of Cornwall was etched into every stone: quartz, amethyst, topaz, tin, and copper - all remnants of a bygone era that had shaped the very landscape itself. As I stood on the rugged coast, the weight of geology and pre-history settled upon me, a thousand facts coalescing into a thousand fantasies that danced in my mind's eye. In 1939, Barbara Hepworth was drawn to the Cornish coast like a magnet, her husband Ben Nicholson by her side. The wild beauty of the place captivated her, as did the wind-swept cliffs and headlands, the monolithic stones, and the stormy seas that crashed against the shore. Her admiration for this unforgiving landscape is palpable in Oval Form (Trezion), a work that speaks to her surroundings with an organic, furling form that seems to breathe. Cast in a mottled green and brown patina, Oval Form (Trezion) appears as though it has risen from the depths of the ocean, its hollow interior reminiscent of a rockpool, a cave, or a spiraled shell. The artist's use of continuous curling lines imbues the work with a sense of movement and animation, as if it is alive, floating beneath the waves. Hepworth's connection to the landscape is evident in her words: "The works I do are a mixture of an ideal situation in shape and spontaneity reacting to landscape... evoking how I feel, myself, bodily in relation to this landscape." This sense of experience was crucial for Hepworth, who believed that sculpture should be experienced not just visually, but sensually and spiritually. Her humanistic quality shines through in her work, even when abstracted. The duality between abstraction and naturalism is a hallmark of Hepworth's style, as seen in Oval Form (Trezion). Alan Wilkinson notes that her sculptures are "semi-abstract equivalents of elements of landscape and architecture... evocative rather than literal representations." The present work is a masterclass in this balance, with its sinuous lines and open centre inviting the viewer to explore. Hepworth's use of space and light is nothing short of genius, as seen in Oval Form (Trezion)'s hollow centre. This aperture highlights the tension between volume and space, line and plane. The holes made by the sea in the rocks are a metaphor for this interplay, where mass and void coexist in harmony. The complexity of form and interplay between mass and void was only possible when Hepworth began working in bronze in the 1950s. This new medium granted her the freedom to create more linear, open, and transparent shapes that would have been impossible in stone or wood. Oval Form (Trezion) is a testament to this newfound liberty, with its evocative forms that dance like the waves. Hepworth's journey with bronze was a long one, taking nearly thirty years to find her stride. She recalled, "It took me nearly thirty years to find a way of using it... I found the most intense pleasure in this new adventure in material." Her method of building up plaster and then cutting it down as though carving gave her a sense of personal control over the medium. The present work is one of only several casts of Oval Form (Trezion) in existence, making it a rare opportunity for sale at auction. Other casts reside in esteemed institutions such as The British Library, Abbot Hall Art Gallery, and the Kimbell Art Museum. We are grateful to Dr Sophie Bowness for her assistance with the cataloguing apparatus, who is also preparing the revised catalogue raisonné of Hepworth's sculpture.