What happens when you put the:
‘Statue of Liberty’, Dega’s ‘Ballerina’
and The Old Bailey’s, ‘Lady of Justice’
in a melting pot?
Mix them up and out comes Damien Hirst’s – ‘Verity’.
‘Verity’ (truth & justice)
The 65ft Bronze sculpture of a pregnant woman
stands on the shore at Ilfracombe overlooking the ocean.
Her left arm held high holding a sword,
mirroring the masts of yachts in Ilfracombe harbour.
in her right hand scales;
Holding scales and sword!
reminds one of the, ‘Lady of Justice’ high above The Old Bailey,
the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales. Her presence and location
reminiscent of the American: ‘Statue of Liberty’ and yet again her pose? though
somewhat altered I find echoes of Dega’s ‘Little Ballerina’.
Verity
She is beautiful, graceful, strong, vulnerably exposed;
One half of her is showing her interior,
flesh peeled back as with a sleeve and stocking; exposing muscles and tendons.
A skeletal face and a baby in her womb.
An anatomical study celebrating the human body and form
cleverly using historical referencing of anatomy in art by such artists as
‘Leonardo Da Vinci’.
The shape & folds of the muscles weave down her limbs from her neck to shoulders to her pert bottom and thigh.
Her breast is mottled, so many textures is a delight on the eye, as the light reflects on the shiny smooth shape.
She looks so tantalizingly tactile, but as her plinth of books were still being worked on when I visited I was not able to get close enough to touch.
This is such a complex sculpture ticking so many boxes of reasons why it should stand proud.
Apart from the folded – back areas,
Verity’s body is a smooth sleek form of the outer womanly figure,
Oh my! What a figure to celebrate, not a sexualized image
(so often portrayed today)
not the perfect idealized unattainable image
(that so many women aspire to have)
and yet she is perfect!
smooth, proportioned, strong, confident evoking a woman that one should aspire to become.
She is the ‘Truth’.
I will admit I have always had my reservations regarding Damien Hurst’s Artistic integrity!
but I will say – I think he is most definitely winning me over!
I would like to Congratulate Damien Hirst for this Monumental sculpture!
It seems to me he is most definitely giving back to his community,
Ilfracombe should be proud!
& What a genius stroke to erect it in October extending the holiday season.
If Damien by any chance should happen to read this:
Maybe you Damien – if you have some time?
Would you like to collaborate with me on a Cheddar Gorge Sculpture?
Regards Katrina
