MOTHER AND SON

 INITIALLY DESIGNED FOR A SCULPTURE COMPETITION FOR THE CONCOURS AT COUNTY HALL ARTS

 This interpretation of MOTHER & SON, made in cast bronze, 2 meters high, will be a figurative representation of a mother-dog with her son, who is crawling and reaching forward beneath her protective stance. This work is reminiscent of the Etruscan sculpture of ROMULUS & REMUS. 

The MOTHER, portrayed as a nurturing, dog-mother guarding her boy-son. If you set aside the intricacies of birthing, whoever raises a baby to manhood has a life of complexity.

The SON is modelled as a young boisterous child. He has a tail, implying his animal connections. The MOTHER has just two breasts, suggesting a hominid connection. Both individuals initially appear as Dog and Human, but these small clues raise the question of how different we really are.

The Mother’s urge to encourage the child’s independence is often contrary to the imperative of ensuring his safety. Every mother must find her own balance within this quandary ... and find the right moment to let go. If a Mother can find the correct equilibrium, the ensuing and everlasting bond is unbreakable, and she will have nurtured a valuable member of the pack or society.

This interdependence has significantly enhanced the survival of both species, reminding us how much we rely on each other and with the natural world.

What better message to plant in the centre of our Capitol than this theme.