About the sculptors

Ian Walters and Aleix Barbat      

 

The renowned sculptor, Ian Walters was approached to design the Bronze Woman in 2001. his work includes the statue of Nelson Mandela in Parliament Square. 

 

Inspired by Cécile’s poem, Ian produced a maquette illustrating a figure representing a black woman holding a child. Sadly, Ian passed away in 2006 before he could start the monument.

 

In October 2007, Aleix Barbat was chosen to take the project forward.  Aleix is the 2007 winner of the Tiranti Prize for Young Sculptors and was in his last year of his Figurative Sculpture diploma at the Heatherley School of Fine Art. Aleix, influenced by Ian's design, wanted to create a strong image of a mother lifting her child high above her head and looking into each other’s eyes representing her strength, hope and pride.

 

Link to Aleix Barbat website link will open in a new window