Our leading piece, The Mind’s Eye Tree, is being created by Jill Berelowitz, in conjunction with The Morris Singer Foundry. Together they will be casting a hawthorn tree in bronze metal, as well as using branches found at our own Mary Arden’s Farm.
The Morris Singer Foundry, which dates back to 1848 are well known for their casting work and are recognised as the oldest fine art foundry in the world. Jill has also designed and created many exciting and memorable sculptures for her previous commissions, including, ‘Diving Girl’, which was placed at entrance for the London 2012 Olympics, and also, the ‘Pair Oar’ rowers, which are permanently on display in Henley-On-Thames.
We recently spoke to the pair about their work and here is what was said;
You were one of the first artists we contacted to work on the project. What was your initial reaction to being asked to create a piece to feature in Shakespeare’s New Place?
Morris Singer are greatly honoured at being chosen as the foundry and Jill as the sculptor to be associated with the most recognised and iconic Englishman with worldwide recognition.
Jill, you have created Bronze Trees in previous works of art. What is it that you find so intriguing about them?
Up until now I have used apple branches as my reference as it symbolises the beginning of time beginning with Adam and Eve which is a celebration of life. As my trees emerge from the ground, they are symbolic as the Earth Mother and then culminates with dancing tree figures with outstretched arms celebrating life on the branches.
Bronze has always been my first choice of sculpture medium, as with trees, it comes from the earth and will be there for eternity. It also improves a sculpture with its own persona.
Finally, the Morris Singer Art Foundry have a great tradition of working with metal, what do you think the foundries greatest artistic achievement is to date?
Morris Singer Foundry have created beautiful sculptures over the past 150 years worldwide including the fountains in Trafalgar Square, numerous sculptures by Frampton including Peter Pan, Eros, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and recently Gandhi in Parliament Square by Philip Jackson.
We are extremely excited to be working with both Jill Berelowitz and the Morris Singer Foundry and can’t wait to see the final piece in place.