“Duologue - a play or part of a play with speaking roles for only two actors.” (Oxford English Dictionary)
Two of the leading sculptors working in the UK today are coming together for a unique ‘live collaboration’ at the Royal Society of Sculptors , offering us a rare opportunity to glimpse into the artists' studio and discover their working practices.
Past President of the Royal Academy, Phillip King CBE will join forces with Brazilian born London based Alexandre da Cunha, to spend a week of practical exchange and discussion in the studio space at Dora House, home of the Royal Society of Sculptors.
Both will bring materials and equipment to the space and between them explore the process of making. At the end of the week, the space will be left in exactly whatever state it is in, with whatever remains of the exchange on view.
The other room of the exhibition, the salon, will feature a large plinth where small scale sculptures by Phillip and Alexandre will be placed together, in conversation. Some works are independent sculptures, others are models for larger sculptures - so a dialogue between the two artists, as well as a dialogue between large and small, macro and micro, public and private, indoors and outdoors.
Not so much an orthodox exhibition, but more a rehearsal space that lays bare to us how sculptors work.
Phillip commented: “Duologue is a play with just two people in it – however this particular play has no script, which gives us maximum freedom for trying new ideas. In order to start I personally will bring a lot of the type of things and material I have in the studio and put it all in a corner … and then we will see what happens next.”
Alexandre added: “This project is a great opportunity for me to engage with Phillip King's practice and open doors to a dialogue about our works. I hope this also opens doors to the public to see our practices through a different perspective; where the emphasis is on the use of materials rather than the formal aspect of finished sculptures.”
Caroline Worthington, Director of the Royal Society of Sculptors says: “The Society was established 100 years ago to advocate sculpture and the artists who create it, but also to play a leading role in the conversations about sculpture and to spark debate about it. Phillip and Alexandre have been friends for a while but have never worked together – so they were intrigued by the idea of coming together to explore what they do and how they do it, and then offering us an insight into that. I hope Duologue will be fascinating for them, and us, and the first of many such conversations we will host at the Royal Society of Sculptors.”
