ALISON WILDING RA (BRITISH B.1948)
ON THE ROOF
signed with initials and dated 86; signed again, dedicated and dated Karsten / from / Alison / 2016 on the underside of the base
Jesmonite
height: 7cm; 2 3/4in

Executed in 1986.

Provenance
A gift from the artist to the late owner in 2016

The present work is made in Jesmonite, a composite material consisting of a mineral-based powder combined with a water-based acrylic resin, quite close to plaster but giving greater aesthetic versatility and used here in a playful way by ironically positioning the snail on top of a roof with a smooth finish.

Wilding was the subject of Karsten Schubert's first ever show as an independent gallerist and was represented by him for over thirty years. She came to prominence in the 1980s as one of a group of sculptors including Richard Deacon and Antony Gormley. She is known for her abstract sculptures, from small scale to large installations, and embraces a wide range of materials and processes. Born in Blackburn, she studied at Nottingham College of Art in the late 1960s and at the Royal College of Art from 1971 to 1973. Twice shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1988 and 1992, she lives and works in London.