Dame Phyllida Barlow DBE RA

Drawing is important in Barlow’s practice, and central to an understanding of her sculptural work. These drawings span a period of more than twenty years. They embody the same ambiguous nature as Barlow’s sculptures and represent the range of her sculptural vocabulary, which includes racks, arenas, greengrocer’s crates, crumpled canvases, strange furniture wrapped around with soft materials, and the layering, accumulation and juxtaposition of ambiguous objects and shapes. Made with thick, gestural brushstrokes, the drawings retain spontaneity of feeling and vitality. Across the group, similar marks are repeated and developed, suggesting solid forms and hinting at familiar shapes.