Root Bodied Forth
| Root Bodied Forth | |
|---|---|
| Artist | Mitzi Cunliffe |
| Year | 1951 |
| Medium | Concrete[1] |
| Dimensions | 240 cm (8 ft) |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
Root Bodied Forth is an 8-ft.-tall concrete figurative sculpture by Mitzi Cunliffe for the Festival of Britain in 1951. The sculpture of an entwined couple growing as if they are trees was featured at the entrance of the South Bank exhibition.[2] The final installation was made of terracota concrete and is thought to have been a dusky pink colour.[3] The exhibition had the theme of people and land which inspired Cunliffe's work. Of the piece, she said:
It represents Man at one with Nature. It is man, woman and a growing thing. I want it to be all growing things, not just a particular tree, and therefore it may not look like a tree at all.
— Mitzi Cunliffe[1]
Cunliffe's work was exhibited alongside that of Daphne Hardy Henrion, Karel Vogel and Peter Laszlo Peri.[1] However, 50% of the sculptures in the temporary exhibition are still missing and their fates unknown, including Cunliffe's sculpture.[4]
Cunliffe created a maquette of the final sculpture in bronze which is part of the Leeds Sculpture Collection at the Henry Moore Institute.[3]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Concrete Sculpture in the Festival exhibitions". Concrete Quarterly. 12. Cement and Concrete Association: 29–36. Autumn 1951. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Draper, Amanda (25 March 2021). "Mitzi Cunliffe - Behind the Mask". University of Liverpool. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b Art Encounters - Mitzi Cunliffe. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
- ^ Marchant, Katy. "Mitzi Cunliffe's Root Bodied Forth and the Missing Art of the Festival of Britain". Leeds Museums & Galleries. Retrieved 6 April 2026.