The installation at Designers Guild is a re-creation of Baroque-style banquet I was commissioned to make at Pitzhanger Manor, Ealing - the country retreat of 18th century architect Sir John Soane.
Making the banquet was a way of creating a ‘live’ event for the busts. Although at a glance seemingly opulent and luxurious, in fact all the banquet objects are cheap, every-day items like plastic flowers, fruit and cutlery, beer cans, paper plates, charity shop glasses and discarded packaging such as take-away cups, chocolate boxes and cigarette packets. Coating these disparate items in plaster gives them not only uniformity but also an air of sophistication.
But in fact this is a kind of ‘anti-luxe’ which has become a key concept as the busts collection has developed.

See the exhibition at Pitzhanger Manor
See the whole Plaster Bust Collection