Astrid's Work - Early Work

Astrid – early work

Identifying Astrid’s early work prior to the time when commissions dominated her life, is not easy. Even during her lifetime she was often very vague about her early pieces. Secretly I think that she had always wanted to get back to them, and she often spoke of the future when she could be free from the pressure of commissions, and just do the things that gave her the greatest pleasure.

1956 Observer Film Exhibition – Sixty Years of Cinema.

This exhibition is the first factual record of her early work. Designed by Richard Buckle, he makes a very interesting comment in his introduction to the exhibition programme. “Of the young artists who this exhibition introduces to the public perhaps none will prove more remarkable than Astrid Zydower, whose work I saw in a students' show and whom I believe to be a great sculptor”. Clearly, this is Astrid’s first step into the commercial application of her work, and why her association with Buckle over the following years was so important to her. Her work was used in the Entrance Hall to illustrate the theme ‘A film studio invaded by angels’.

One photograph, (taken by Rex Camber), has been located. Obviously a fantasy idea of a cameraman, but showing the free flowing exuberance that was to dominate much of her later work.

No doubt this was not the only piece of Astrid’s work in the exhibition but I have yet to locate any other photographs that were taken.

Telford Exhibition 1957

This was the bi-centennial exhibition of Thomas Telford, also designed by Richard Buckle for the Institute of Civil Engineering. Once more we have specific evidence from a programme associated with this exhibition. The front cover depicting a prominent work of Astrid’s.

This was most likely constructed from gypsum plaster on formers, since I do not think that she developed her lighter material until some time after this date. What happened to the workman is unknown, but the seven foot high figure of Telford stood in Astrid’s hallway at her Willes Road studio in Campden Town until after her death. It was then passed to someone who found space for it. I am grateful to the Institute of Civil Engineering for providing this photograph by Ronald Jarman.

Brussels World fair 1958 – men of Letters

In the following year, 1958, she created 11 busts representing “Men of Letters” for the British Pavilion at Brussels World Fair, Hugh Casson’s section.

I believe that this was a commission that came from James Gardner. Both he and Richard Buckle were to become important factors in much of her later work.

Searching through photographs taken at her Warwick Road studios we can find what must be three of these busts. They appear to have been cast in plaster, although there is no sign of any original maquettes. Five do still exist for hire as props in a television company property suppliers.

As late as 1965 Astrid had asked me to copy a photograph of a set design, though at that time I did not know to what it related. It is now clear that this was a trial set-up for the 1958 exhibition in Brussels, and clearly shows some of these busts. In the background can be seen the top of the British Pavilion. The original photographer is unknown, but I trust I shall be forgiven for its inclusion.

Harewood House:

The next record that we have for Astrid’s work relates to ‘three larger than life’ pieces for the setting of The Gold Vase for Harewood House. This was part of the Bicentenary Exhibition designed by Richard Buckle. Recent enquiries seem to indicate that this work can no longer be located, and it must be assumed that in the passage of time it has been discarded.

There are no known photographic records of this work., although further enquiries are still under way.

Astrid’s association with the Earl of Harewood was to prove a lasting one, and resulted in the commissioning of one of her major works for the garden of Harewood House in later years.

Other Early Work

Looking around the photographs of the shelves in her studio it is hard to identify anything that does not have some commission aspect to it. However, there are two pieces that could predate that period, work perhaps completed in her final year at the RCA. They are of a young girl with a dog. One with the dog at her feet, and the other of her holding it. 35cm (15”) high and cast in cement fondue. One certainly survives, (see photographs), but I have no knowledge of the other. Only that it did exist in 1968.

A considerable enlargement of a photograph taken at the Warwick road studio on that date reveals these two pieces on the shelf next to maquettes associated with Expo. 67. They are quite different in character to the more robust working of her later pieces. There is a gentle reflective mood to them. One of childhood innocence and pleasure, something that I feel Astrid was always trying to recapture.

From a slightly different angle we can see both figures.

The casting that can be seen on the shelves

After her death another casting of this piece was also found.

This is cast in a white material, possibly plaster, and it appears to be unfinished.

It is interesting to note that cement fondue casting was not something that Astrid used very often. This technique is much stronger than plaster, but far less expensive than bronze, and an obvious choice for those pieces that were to be kept as personal items.

However, we must not jump to quickly to the idea that these actually were very early works. It is known that she was commissioned in 1962 to provide a statue of a Girl with a Dog for Hemel Hempstead New Town, to be placed in Callisto Court. Was this to be based on earlier pieces or are these castings from maquettes created in 1962 as working models?

The official reply from the civic authorities of Hemel Hempstead is that other than the fact the commission was given, nothing further is known.

It all seems rather peculiar. Callisto Court is a quiet cul-de-sac of some twelve houses and today (2006) there is no sign of any statue. Residents of the locality cannot understand why anyone would have placed a statue in this particular area. However, in 1962 the authorities did commission works from other artists and some of these still stand, but in more public places. There also exists a book of this period containing photographs of Callisto Court, and here can be seen what must be the statue in question.

My own feeling is that this statue was cast in concrete, and over the years was subjected to vandalism before it was finally removed. (See my comments below of the statue created for the school.)

Leicestershire Department of Education:

In 1961 Astrid was commissioned to provide a sculpture for use in a school in Leicestershire. This was described in "Public Sculptures of Leicestershire & Rutland" by Terry Cavanagh. Pub. Liverpool University Press 2002 . as “Girl with Bird - painted metal”

Enquiries in Leicestershire uncovered the fact that this sculpture was 52 x 28 inches and made of concrete. It was acquired in 1962 and placed in Willowbrook Junior School I had hoped that the ‘metal’ description might have indicated a bronze casting, but this was clearly wrong.

Having contacted the present Head of Willowbrook, it soon became apparent that the statue was no longer there. However he did learn from older members of his staff that the statue was kept in a store for some 20 years before being consigned to a shed. It was rather badly damaged and was eventually disposed of in 2005.

Once again, searching early photographs from Warwick Road, there is a work that could well be a copy, or an original working for this statue. This is another of those items that I have so far failed to locate.