Flowers Gallery, Cork Street, is pleased to present an exhibition of new works by Nicola Hicks. Hicks studies the nature of character, exposing the real traits of her creations. There is a quiet expressivity to the artist’s creatures that resonates beyond their situations, suggesting that the animal acts partly as a proxy for human emotions.

In Hicks’ three-part sculpture Dressed for the Woods II, 2013, a bear sits at the feet of two figures seemingly draped or clothed in furs. The dynamics between the characters is essential to the impact of the piece. In this sculpture, Hicks aims to conjure the equally forceful, savage nature of love, the many guises that it takes and the innate urge to protect that accompanies it. Hicks’ sculptures are complex compositions, painstakingly detailed, yet rich in spontaneity. Her rigorous study of anatomy and the intricate rendering of fur are affirmed by the precision of her forms, while the scale of her works contributes to the colossal psychic presence of her sculptures.

Hicks has always seen her drawing as a process that runs parallel with her sculpture; the two are inseparable, one feeds and inspires the other. This selection of drawings depicts a menagerie of beasts. For Hicks, the spontaneity with which the line is released onto the page reveals unique responses. The drawings have a vigour and immediacy through which she expresses her own personal visual language and social critique. Hicks has also created a new series of monoprints to be exhibited in the downstairs gallery.

Nicola Hicks was born in London in 1960. She studied at Chelsea School of Art and completed postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Art. In 1995 she was awarded an MBE for her contribution to the visual arts. Nicola hicks’ sculpture and drawings have been presented in numerous international museums and galleries and she has completed several public commissions including large scale sculptures at Schoental Monastery. Over 2013 Hicks exhibited at St Paul’s Cathedral, Yale Center of British Art and at The Venice Biennale.