Standing here, before the imposing facade of John Lewis, you might miss it at first glance. But raise your eyes, just above the bustling crowds on Oxford Street. Do you see it? The Winged Figure, a sculpture so grand, yet so effortlessly graceful. This, my friends, is no ordinary decoration. This is a masterpiece by Dame Barbara Hepworth, a woman who sculpted her dreams into reality. Commissioned in 1961, the Winged Figure wasn’t John Lewis’s first choice. They originally approached Jacob Epstein, a giant in the art world, but he was busy with other projects. Hepworth herself presented an initial design that was rejected. Can you imagine the audacity? But from that rejection sprung this iconic figure. Hepworth envisioned it as a symbol of aspiration and resurgence, themes deeply intertwined with John Lewis’s own philosophy as a Partnership, owned by its workers. Crafted from aluminium, a material chosen for its lightness, the Winged Figure seems to defy gravity. It’s as if it’s about to take flight, soaring above the chaos of Oxford Street. And in a way, it does. Every day, millions of eyes fall upon it, carrying its message of hope and freedom across the globe. So next time you’re on Oxford Street, remember the Winged Figure. Remember the woman who dared to dream of flight and, in doing so, gifted us a piece of the sky.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to