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BIO

Sophie Dickens is a contemporary British sculptor. Her exuberant, instantly recognisable sculptures have graced cathedrals and enlivened skylines from London to Los Angeles. Brought together by energy and wit, her body of work is expansive and restless, covering a wide range of abstract and figurative subjects, classical and de-pedestals, herd and pack installations, athletes, gods and lovers.
Having obtained a degree in art history at the Courtauld Institute in London, Sophie Dickens studied the practicalities of making figurative sculpture at the Sir John Cass School of Art and the anatomy department at University College London. Her distinctive style comes from her technique of constructing figures from abstract geometric shapes of curved wood and attaching them to an armature to create a flowing, muscular form. She was the first winner of the Founders' Prize for figurative sculpture in 2007 with a work entitled The TurningMan. Loosely based on Michelangelo's Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, this gravity-defying sculpture was exhibited at the V&A, London. Notable pieces include a 3m stainless steel Minotaur for an apartment in San Francisco (also exhibited at the first Masterpiece Art Fair in London in 2010). Matthew, Mark, Luke and John' - a traveling installation of winged beasts installed in several London churches and cathedrals in 2011. Sports pieces include a large bronze judo throw for the London 2012 Olympics and a sequence based on Rafael Nadal's tennis serve. In 2016 a large bronze carriage horse was commissioned for the lobby of The Principal Hotel in Manchester and a diver for the champagne bar of the Connaught Hotel in London.
She lives and works in Liguria, with her husband and various animals.

ACADEMIC STUDIES

1984-7 Courtauld Institute, University of London

1989 -91 Sir John Cass School of Art, London

1991 Department of Anatomy, University College, London

Exhibitions

2024
Apocalisse, Crumb Gallery, Florence
2023
Panter & Hall, Pall Mall, London
2022
Bacchanalia, JKS Gallery Turin, and Museo del Vino, Barolo
2020
Arte e Donne, Terni, Italy
2019
Art Basel Miami
2019
Start Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery, London
2019
Rococo Gardens, Gloucester
2018
7 Lupi, Galleria Umberto, Torino, and Sladmore Contemporary
2017
Personal Structures, Palazzo Mora, Venice Biennale.
2017
Tre Posti, three installations in Pieve di Teco
2016
Be Mine, Sladmore Contemporary, London
2015
Buro Four, National Theatre, London
2015
Buro Four Thirty-for-Thirty, sculpture inspired by NT project
2014
Chinese Open, group show Chinatown, London
2014
Sladmore Contemporary, London
2014
De Re Gallery, Los Angeles USA

Commissions

2019
Katagaruma- Minnesota, USA
2019
Nadal – Saudi Arabia
2018
Diver - Benyon Memorial Garden, Royal Berkshire Hospital
2018
Horse, Celebrity Edge cruise ship
2018
Three Wolves, Galloway
2017
Dive - Los Angeles
2017
Satyrs with amphora – New York
2017
Pool Boys – Frankfurt
2016
Be Mine! – Valentine’s exhibition, Sladmore Contemporary
2016
Hilton Hotel, Faro, Portugal & The Principal Hotel, Manchester
2015
Chinese Open – group show, Chinatown, London
2015
Buro Four Thirty-for-Thirty, sculpture inspired by NT project
2014
Minotaur Medal, British Museum, London
2014
Variable Landscape – collection Sir Michael Hopkins
2014
Monkey installation, Sladmore Contemporary