Toy

1983
Wentworth, Richard
'Toy' places an empty sardine tin, lid peeled open, within a 'pool' suggested by a plate of steel soldered into the top of an oval tub. One's immediate and unavoidable association is of a small boat floating, or sinking in an expanse of water, although our awareness of the empty space beneath prevents too literal a reading. In Richard Wentworth's sculptures, among which 'Toy' is a classic example, ordinary objects from the world are brought together and combined in ways that give new life to the objects themselves, and, more importantly, give concrete form to poetic thoughts, filling a new space in our minds. What counts in 'Toy', as in Wentworth's other works, is the poetic power of each idea and its realisation in terms of appropriate scale, material, and the associations that can be derived from the play of words or functions. Greg Hilty, 'Recent British Sculpture from the Arts Council Collection', Exhibition Catalogue, 1993
  • Artwork Details: 31 x 41 x 62.5cm
  • Edition:
  • Material description: steel
  • Credit line: © the artist / courtesy Lisson Gallery
  • Theme: Abstract
  • Medium:
  • Accession number: ACC1/1984

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The Arts Council Collection is the UK's most widely seen collection of modern and contemporary art.

With more than 8,000 works by over 2,000 artists, it can be seen in exhibitions and public displays across the country and beyond. This website offers unprecedented access to the Collection, and information about each work can be found on this site.