Roger Partridge

There are certain preoccupations, concerns and life experiences we all have and as artists they either filter through our subconscious or very consciously appear in our work. They can be the driving energy in a piece of work and may only become apparent once the work is made. One such concern and life experience has been the state of my own health.

I first contracted cancer when I was 16 and it was a decisive factor in me choosing to become a sculptor. This theme has surfaced in my work either through a conscious need to explore my own feelings about my illness (Anatomy of a Sarcoma / Tide) or as a subconscious theme that has been woven into other works (when North meets South).

Following a third recurrence and unexpected recovery, this theme has reappeared in the current work (Life - Life balance) with the concern that my illness may return one day. Though the two forces create tension and interplay in our minds, this work is primarily a reflection on the power of life and the belief that it should be celebrated whatever problems we have to overcome.