A renowned sculptor from Lavenham is dedicating her latest exhibition, which she has described as the most important of her career, to the Addenbrooke’s Hospital doctors who saved her life.
Kate Denton’s “Burning Ambition” exhibition is the culmination of her 30-year fascination with the famous Icarus myth and will feature a display of sculptures, lithographs and drawings at Lavenham Hall Gallery, from May 13 to May 28.
The flagship work of art is “Dare to Dream”, a 2.9-metre-high sculpture that boasts almost a tonne of bronze and is seemingly falling forward while balanced on nothing more than the figure’s toes. The exhibition also includes 15 other bronze sculptures and a similar number of drawings.
While the display comes 30 years after Kate’s first Icarus-inspired drawing, she believes it will be the “magnum opus” of her career.
It is particularly poignant after she was diagnosed with aggressive cancer seven years ago and told she had just three months to live.
Kate, who will be dedicating her new exhibition to Dr Robin Crawford, consultant gynaecological oncologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in Cambridge, and his colleagues, revealed: “For both professional and personal reasons this is the most important exhibition I have put on.
“The story of Icarus has fascinated me for as long as I can remember and tackling the subject brings together everything I have worked on over my sculpting life – the modelling of the figures, how to portray flight, how to give the feeling of elation at winged flight and the despair as the figure falls from the sky.”
Reflecting on the personal nature of the exhibition, Kate said: “At one time I was given only three months to live – and at the very worst point my life expectancy was measured in weeks, if not days.
“But after some amazing and radical surgery by outstanding doctors, to whom this exhibition is dedicated in thanks, I remain in remission.
“It changed everything. I am now determined to live as full a life as I can both in my work and in my personal life.”
A catalogue, detailing her thinking behind the work as well as the sculptures and drawings in the exhibition, has been produced by Kate and her husband, Anthony Faulkner, with a foreword written by Richard Humphreys, a former curator at Tate Britain.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here