On the evening of Saturday 21 September, the Drawing Schools opened its doors to welcome art lovers, buyers as well as members of the Eton community to a private view of sculptor Lucy Casson’s exhibition, Spatial Aspect (an improvisation with materials), which was on display in the Drawing Schools until Sunday 13 October.
As guests sauntered through the exhibition, fascinated by the intricate details of each sculpture, conversations flowed freely, kindling lively exchanges of insight and reflection on Casson’s fanciful models.
The event was a resounding success, with several pieces bought by guests. As she describes on her website, Casson creates “a small world of ‘cartoon’ beings.” Crafted from bits of wood, tin, and other found objects, her artworks are whimsical and playful, as each sculpture is infused with a unique personality that invites viewers into a narrative of imagination.
Casson began working with ceramics and assemblage roughly 25 years ago, starting off with rudimentary automata. However, as her compulsion towards more characterised and vivid forms grew, she quickly abandoned that style to fashion her own illustrative sculptures. Her output since has been nothing short of prolific.
In the exhibition alone, Casson showcased hundreds of her miniatures, with some presented as stand-alone pieces, while others were seamlessly integrated into larger compositions. Her ability to combine these characters with mundane objects, such as hairbrushes or balls of yarn, was particularly intriguing as this positioning was what truly brought the stories of her characters to life. It was impressive to see the diversity of materials and variety of scale she expertly uses to create her art, all while retaining her cohesive and distinctly comedic style. While some artworks were cast in bronze, others were made purely from clay, and despite these different textural details, both mediums successfully conveyed the signature Lucy Casson charm.
This captivating blend of character and everyday objects not only delighted the guests but also inspired a wave of very enthusiastic feedback. One attendee wrote about how much they “enjoyed the delicacy and humour of the juxtapositions,” while another wrote about their love for “the architectural spaces and all the recycled materials, the colours, and the invitation to fill the structures with narratives.” It was certainly a “quirky atmosphere,” but one filled with delight.
When asking Art Teacher Mr Reid why he was drawn to invite Lucy Casson to showcase her work, he responded by saying that “she’s a storyteller and a world-class artist.” He reiterated that each artwork encompasses skills that she has developed over a lifetime.
This evening in the Drawing Schools not only celebrated Lucy Casson’s outstanding artistry but was also a night full of inspiration and enthusiasm. The exhibition has undoubtedly enriched the cultural life of the school this Michaelmas. As she moves on to work with public sculpture, implementing her designs into hospitals and cruise-liners, it will be interesting to see where else Lucy Casson’s works are exhibited in years to come. We thank her for the time she has contributed and the works she made for the exhibition.
