She is not based on a single individual but on several seen at a market. At first glance she might appear comical but actually her story is one of heroism – or heroine-ism if there were such a word. I wanted to celebrate the unsung bravery of an ageing woman bent on finding food for her family.
In rich countries shopping is a pleasurable distraction. Shopping, for my ‘sculpted woman’, is a soul-destroying challenge demanding energy and fighting spirit. For her it is a battle from which, day in day out, she must return with hard-won goods – as many as she can carry by the means she has available.
She has dependents and if she doesn’t succeed, they will go hungry. So, what can she do? She carries on, and in such daily struggle, lies true bravery. That’s why I call this sculpture ‘Burdened but unbowed’. I hope that it succeeds in conveying something of her courage and resilience.