in 2016, Great Britain, sculptural bronze construction with interwoven letters mounted on a stele-shaped base made of polished synthetic resin (plinth made of tramazite and timber). Dimensions of the sculpture: diameter c. 31.5 cm, depth c. 8 cm; dimensions of the base: height c. 115 cm, width c. 39 cm, depth c. 39 cm, weight c. 55 kg. (MHA)

No. 1 from the limited edition of 3 examples plus 1 Artist’s Proof (A. P.)

The present object was made for London Craft Week 2016 and exhibited at St. James‘s Church, Piccadilly, London.

Taking bronze and making it dance. Taking a crown of thorns and twisting it back in on itself, this 2016 sculpture speaks to themes of veneration, transcendence and humility in the face of the sublime – both personal and infinite.

Cast using the ancient lost wax process, in solid bronze, the sculpture is 30 cm in diameter and weighs approximately 2.5 kg. From the heavy mass of bronze, this piece is formed of interwoven handwritten letters which balance with light, delicate fluidity; almost a filigree.

Base Upon, here, preserve and reinvent a potent icon of western history. Alluding to laurel wreaths of victory and the infinite circle of devotion, the sculpture is single-sided and ceaseless, after a lifetime of looking outward to an apparently fractured world, the work speaks to the discovery of wholeness within.

Guided by twin brothers Ian and Richard Abell, the artist collective Based Upon travels the world to gather narratives, memories, textures, and histories. In the London studio, these grow into sculptural works which look at notions of wholeness and separation, the natural and the manmade. All of these works tell stories: of Based Upon’s own experiences or those of its clients. Each Based Upon work carries the intention of its maker; every piece resonating with the personal or physical landscapes from which it was conceived. With an intuitive eye for depth, beauty and meaning, Based Upon are artists, creators and adventurers. They find their centre on the edges of life by creating poetic sculptural work that reminds us to connect with the essence of life.

“I was sitting at a table in Soho. It must have been summer because the windows were folded back. Light cut the table with purpose. The words arrived as one sentence. Complete. In the cathedral of your spirt I am happy queuing for wine. I accepted them as of light that permeated. I took them like this, “In the vastness of your essence, I forget the cravings that preoccupy me.” And as I turned them over in my mind it deepened in this presence, my need subsides and resting on “in awe, I am”.– IAN ABELL

With original certificate of authenticity.