It was an honour to be commissioned by the talented Kate Denton and her husband Antony to document and produce a catalogue of her work.
This was a long-term project, lasting just over a year. I enjoy longer commissions like this. They let me get to know my subject properly, and the photographs tend to have a more personal, nuanced feel.
Kate has been working on a project rooted in the myth of Icarus. It’s a story with many interpretations, and countless artists and sculptors have taken it on, but Kate’s reading is genuinely fresh. ‘Burning Ambition’ shows a different side of Icarus.
Two years in the making, the work draws on Kate’s muses and influences from the art world, as well as religion, literature and history. I can’t pick a favourite, as each piece is so different, though ‘Dare to Dream’ deserves a mention. The figurehead of the series stands an impressive 290cm tall and used nearly a ton of bronze, yet he balances weightlessly on his toes. It was a treat to photograph such a still subject, too.
Seeing my photographs of Kate’s aerial, acrobatic Icarus in print is a fine feeling. Here is a PDF of the catalogue, and you can watch my commissioned video of Burning Ambition here.
All 16 sculptures and 20 drawings are on display from 13 to 28 May 2018 at Lavenham Hall. The exhibition is dedicated to Robin Crawford and his colleagues at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, who treated Kate after she was diagnosed with a very serious illness in 2011.
Kate is an inspiring person, and her zest for life and her art is infectious. It was a pleasure to work with someone so professional and talented. My thanks to Kate and Antony for having me at their home, studio and gallery in Lavenham, Suffolk. I’m very much looking forward to the exhibition in May.
Do take a look at my portfolio and my commercial photography, and if you’d like to discuss a project you can get in touch.
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