Baroque Sprawl
This artwork featured at No.1 Station Approach, Hereford (2024). A Meadow Arts and Hereford College of Arts commission.
Sculptor Laura White’s striking installation challenges the uniformity and predictability of the urban sprawl that surrounds No.1 Station Approach.
Drawing inspiration from the dynamic and flowing style of the Baroque period, White’s creation pays homage to Bernini’s famous sculpture, Apollo and Daphne (1622 – 1625) which is represented on the large billboard on the Aylestone Hill end of the building.
Bernini’s sculpture depicts Daphne, a beautiful and fiercely independent nymph, evading Apollo’s amorous pursuit by changing into a tree. Bernini’s powerful sculpture captures the moment when Daphne begins this transformation; look closely and you will see that her hands and feet are already sprouting branches and leaves.
On the opposite end of the building, White’s installation echoes Bernini’s masterpiece too, but injects an element of unpredictability while remaining rooted in plain materials. The fabric that weaves through the undulating metal frame is white scaffolding sheeting, a product used on construction sites the world over. Using this humble material, the artist grounds the monumental sculpture in the everyday and connects it to the fabric of the city.
Positioned in this location, on one of the main arteries leading in and out of the city, the work establishes a vibrant conversation between the city and the magnificent Herefordshire landscape surrounding it.
Renowned for her adventurous use of materials, White constantly explores their boundaries and possibilities. Through this artwork, she celebrates the profound impact art can have, inviting viewers to contemplate the transformative power inherent in both the materials and the creative process.
About the artist
Laura White
Laura White exhibited at No.1 Station Approach, Hereford, 2024 – 2025, commissioned by Meadow Arts and Hereford College of Arts; and The Precious Clay, Museum of Royal Worcester, 2018 – 2019, commissioned by Meadow Arts.
Image: Laura White, White Mud, 2018.