Nicholas Pope, a pioneering British sculptor known for his use of natural materials and his representation of the UK at the 1980 Venice Biennale, has died aged 77. His work often tested materials to their limits, as seen in pieces like Leaning Chalk (1975) and Stacked Lead (1976), which appeared on the verge of collapse.
Early Career and Artistic Approach
Pope was a leading figure in British art during the 1970s and 1980s. He participated in major exhibitions such as The Condition of Sculpture (1975) and Nature As Material (1980), both organized by the Arts Council. His work often pushed materials to their breaking point, as with Mr and Mrs Arnolfini (1978), a piece made from Bath stone that was brought to the edge of shattering.
Life-Changing Illness
In 1982, while studying wood-carving techniques in Tanzania on a British Council fellowship, Pope contracted an encephalitic virus. This illness dramatically altered his life and artistic practice. He was treated at Hereford County Hospital's brain injury clinic, where Dr. Dave Quinn helped rebuild his health and confidence.
During his recovery, Pope began free-scribbling, often using both hands while listening to Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly at maximum volume. This marked a shift in his art toward new, non-natural materials such as epoxy resin, ceramics, oilbar, knitting, and colored glass. His colors became vibrant primaries, and his forms became soft, pulpy, and unpredictable.
Later Works
Pope's later works included intricate knitted sculptures, such as the Mr and Mrs Pope series, which evoked the intimacy of married life through intermingled internal organs. He would wash his knitting at high heat and send the resulting lump to Beijing, where artisans carved it in marble. These works were displayed at his 2013 exhibition at Roche Court, Salisbury.
His masterpiece from this period is Apostles Speaking in Tongues Lit By Their Own Lamps (1993-96), a series of tall, plant-like terracotta figures each bearing an oil lamp. They were first shown at Tate Britain in 1996 and later displayed around the apse of Salisbury Cathedral in 2014.
Personal Life
Pope was born in Sydney, Australia, the third of five sons of Ernle Pope, a Royal Navy officer, and his wife Pamela. He attended Charterhouse School and studied at Farnham and Corsham Schools of Art. He married artist Janet Bonehill in 1976, and they had a daughter, Mary, in 1981.
Outside of art, Pope worked as a Samaritan counselor and, with Janet, created an orchard at their home in Much Marcle, Herefordshire, where they produced and marketed Pope's Perry. Janet died in 2020. Pope is survived by Mary and two grandchildren.
