kathy dalwood - sculpture & design
About
My sculpture intersects the worlds of fine art and design but whatever the theme, always centres around the process of casting.
Working primarily in plaster and concrete, my practice explores histories of sculpture, fashion and architecture and in a unique approach, in order to create the sculptural imagery, I cast directly from real objects and materials
PLASTER BUSTS & INSTALLATIONS
My sculpture and design work has found expression in some very different collections, contexts and projects. The Plaster Bust Collection and Secret Society Banquet installations (Baroque-style plaster banquets as a context for the busts) have been widely exhibited internationally in contrasting locations from castles and stately homes in Britain and Europe to flagship design stores in Fifth Avenue such as Bergdorf Goodman.
Spotted by leading interior designers, the busts now adorn various 5* establishments in major cities from the Crillon, Paris to the Ritz Carlton, San Francisco and the Andaz Sugar Palace, Prague. These last two commissioned bespoke busts referencing the history and architecture of the buildings and location.
PUBLIC SCULPTURE & FRIEZE COMMISSIONS
With the same methodology – direct casting from real life objects –I’ve undertaken large public sculpture commissions including a shopping centre and hospital in Wales, creating a narrative in giant plaster wall friezes referencing local place, architecture and history. The direct casting method imparts a surreal air of reality to the imagery.
I’ve also created narrative friezes to commission for private client’s residential projects. For example, I made a frieze on the theme of ‘Ocean Trash’ in which I cast from the random debris which gets washed up on beaches.
SETSQUARES RELIEF TILES & FRIEZES
Alongside figurative sculpture, I continue to expand my SETSQUARES collections of cast concrete relief tiles and friezes, abstract designs inspired by architecture, mid-century and historic.
Modernism is a strong reference but so too is architecture created by ancient civilisations.
As well as creating my own collections I work to commission, responding to briefs from the client. A recently completed project is Pharrell Williams’ The Goodtime Hotel in Miami where celebrity San Francisco designer Ken Fulk set a brief to create a collection of relief tiles referencing Mayan architecture as a key design feature throughout the building.
However contrasting the different spheres of my sculpture, they are united through the technique of casting which provides endless possibilities in the exploration of shape and texture expressed in positive or negative form.
COMMISSIONS & COLLABORATIONS
I welcome collaborations and commissions so olease get in touch to enquire about commissioning my sculpture and relief tiles or to acquire sculptures from the collections
