Spatial Form 1962 - 1963

Curator: Here we have Anthea Alley's "Spatial Form." I'm struck by the repetitive use of circular and linear elements in this sculpture. Editor: It gives the impression of something caught mid-explosion, perhaps, or a deconstructed architectural model. The interplay of the metalwork appears quite complex. Curator: Alley's process here is key. She likely employed welding techniques to assemble the bronze, highlighting an industrial aesthetic, don't you think? It speaks to a post-war engagement with new materials and methods. Editor: I see something far more primal—a skeletal structure, like a ribcage turned inside out, hinting at themes of vulnerability and exposure. The bronze almost suggests petrified remains. Curator: Interesting. I lean toward thinking about the labor involved, the repetitive actions, the transformation of raw material. It’s about the means of production as much as final form. Editor: But that form evokes such potent feelings, drawing on deeply ingrained fears and fascination with inner workings made visible. Curator: True, and in that tension, we see the richness of Alley’s creation. Editor: Yes, it invites us to see beauty within apparent chaos.