“The naked figure, whether in the studio or on the beach, has always fascinated me. It is a subject that everyone can relate and respond to in their own way, often without conceptualizing or intellectualizing. That is the way I prefer to do it. There is a deeper response to the illusive and resonating qualities of the body in art.”

Thinking there is more than what passes as sculpture, Ian set out to develop his own interpretations.  Thus, a recent installation at the Abbey House Gardens in ancient Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England.

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“The choice of the male figure / nude as a dominant motif was made quite early when I realized that the female nude had, to a large extent, been robbed of its power by the commercial world of advertising, whereas the the male nude still retained a power that could excite, grab attention and shock. The reaction of the spectator to the male figure was stronger, whether out of competition, fear or embarrassment. It proved to be a potent image. For me, the sculptor, this fact reinforced the work with a greater resonance and meaning.”

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