INSPIRED : Alison Wilding OBE in conversation with Jo Applin

Last night, we had the privilege of welcoming renowned sculptor Alison Wilding OBE to discuss her remarkable career to date with Professor Jo Applin.

Alison Wilding OBE RA has been challenging the boundaries of sculpture since the 1970s, blending diverse materials, techniques, and forms. Her work explores striking contrasts such as containent and concealment, stability and instability, and the tension between a material’s inherent qualities and her own manipulations.

Fascinated by sculpture’s environmental context, she considers how her works fit into the world, emphasising the dynamic relationship between object and audience.

“My builder had left a very long piece of white plastic, he said he would take it away, but I told him I would actually keep it. That was the genesis of this piece of work”

 

- Alison Wilding OBE RA 

 

A big thank you to both Jo and Alison for leading this insightful discussion, offering us a glimpse into Alison's career, as well as more personal moments—from her challenging and sexist university experience to her intricate exploration of the contrasting materials she employs in her practice.

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