A preview of the maquette and concepts for the public commission installed at Printers Office Street, Doncaster in May 2020.
In 2018 Laurence Edwards was awarded a commission by the town of Doncaster for a sculptural installation celebrating and remembering the lives of those who had lived and worked in the pits around Doncaster. Laurence decided to sculpt 40 portraits of former miners to be installed in the town centre. Sculpted from life in two-hour sittings, the portraits are beautifully modelled; affectionate yet sincere and as much a product of the conversations and relationship between Laurence and his sitters as pure observation.
As a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Sculptures, Laurence’s mastery of modelling from life was evident, yet this exhibition offers a rare chance to see this very traditional skill at the forefront of his work. That the sculptures were completed in just two-hours is a remarkable feat of observation and skill, with the speed lending a vitality that runs through the series.
