T

he saying goes that you make your own luck.

Jonathan Wylder, world-renowned sculptor and
a man who attributes his greatest works to fate
and timing would agree. Take the mermaid guarding the
Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, modelled on Olympic
swimming champion Sharron Davies a piece that came
to fruition following Wylders confession to a journalist
that he desired to sculpt Davies.
Consider also the book purchased in Rome that
inspired Wylders statue of Mother Teresa.
A chance meeting with the author, a condante
of the saint, resulted in the bronze being
moved to Calcutta to watch over her
grave a professional highlight and
one that still gives the artist goose
bumps. Similarly, Wylder attributes his
collaboration with model Yasmin Le Bon
one of the most amazing women and the
resulting remarkable life-size bronze to timing.
Whilst fate and timing have undoubtedly played
a hand in these professional and artistic highlights,
they would account for nothing without the talent
and eye for beauty that Wylder adds to the mix.
The stars align once more as he returns to
Belgravia to exhibit his latest collection of works
a series of sketches, oils, watercolours and
sculptures in steel, bronze and iron in his
rst exhibition in two years. The
paintings showcase Wylders new
spontaneous, less structured approach,
while the sculptures embrace the uidity of
ballet and movement, including the centre
piece entitled Spirit.
Wylder sees Spirit as a contender
for the best piece he has ever created. This work and
the exhibition, a tribute to his late father, see the artist
embrace the current stage of his life a time of
happiness, assertiveness, simplicity and vulnerability.
Ultimately he now believes feelings make
art. While opening up emotionally may be
nerve-wracking and leave one vulnerable,
Wylder recognises the need to take this risk in order to evolve.
During this transformative, coming-of-age period
off the exhibition scene, Wylder has been busy creating
Rapture. Deviating from the female form, this seven-foot
ve-male carving from two-and-a-half tonnes of limestone
sits amid a tropical Ibiza garden and is the rst spiritual
piece since Mother Teresa.
Wylder tells me that future areas of interest will
include combining his passion for extreme sports with
sculpting, allowing spontaneity to permeate his work.
He also plans to continue capturing beautiful models
and performers to add to the collection of people he
has already worked with.
Focusing on the present, Wylder hopes that
his new collection in Belgravia will assist in the
ultimate goal of telling a story that will inspire
generation after generation much like Mother
Teresas life and example as complemented in the
wonderful bronze that rests over her grave.
24 September to 11 October,
The Osborne Studio Gallery,
2 Motcomb Street, SW1X 8JU,
020 7235 9667 (osg.uk.com)
EXPLORING THE WYLDE SIDE
Artist Jonathan Wylder returns to Belgravia with a collection
of oils, bronzes and steel sculptures. He talks to Vicki Dacker
about his coming-of-age show
The paintings showcase Wylders
new spontaneous, less structured
approach, while the sculptures
embrace the uidity of ballet
and movement
Clockwise from top: Sea Breeze; George Basevi (in Belgrave Square);
Tranquillity, all by Jonathan Wylder