Duet

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I was interested in Neptune’s Trident but wanted to make another object that might be found in a domestic environment that could be redefined through a change of scale as sculpture. The Fork was made in 2001 to compliment my collection of large scale tools and everyday objects. It was also a practical idea that I could make within the limitations of my workshop, my abilities and the material I had available. Several years passed before I made its sister the trowel for an exhibition at Exbury Garden’s; creating a two piece sculpture that could be re-arranged wherever it was shown. They were galvanised and repainted several times in search of the right colour. They are about 3 meters tall and are about 14 times actual size.

The trident and garden trowel were a symbolic pair that stretched in concept from the Olympian to the gentle world of gardening by hand. Cistercian monks were said to participate in a little bit of heaven when tending to their miniature versions of the Garden of Eden. The imagery here is that they are both hand tools that can be used whilst participating with Nature in the natural organic world. They are implements for organic creation and food. They were part of the show for several years sometimes annoying exhibition organisers who didn’t like digging up their lawns in the name of art.
Duet was finally bought in 2006 by a Banner Homes property developer in Newbury who I hope did not chuck them in a skip when they had finished selling their houses.