Beetle by Nicola Hicks

One of the most striking At-Bristol commissions is Beetle by Nicola Hicks which draws people into Anchor Square as they cross Pero’s Bridge.

Beetle was inspired by the Rhinoceros Beetle - one of the World’s strongest creatures which can support up to 850 times its own weight on its back.

However, Hicks’ Beetle is not simply a reproduction of nature - its awesome presence reflects the driving force behind all her work - that of exploring the human consciousness of natural history.

Nicola Hicks is one of Britain’s most respected sculptors of animals – but she does not produce simple representations. Instead her pieces contain the power of the beast – belonging to a tradition of animal representation that stems right back to prehistoric caves.

Her magnificent drawings and sculptures are not cosy or ‘nice’, but have an extraordinary power and presence, which, as in Beetle makes even the smallest creature something to be in awe of – feared even, as it lurks by the trees in Anchor Square.

Born in London in 1960, Nicola Hicks has pieces in private and public collections in Britain and America.

In response to a question about why animals are so important to her work she responded: “Animals are the stuff of life. When I make a sculpture it’s done because I have something to say about my experience. My only experience is living. Maybe it’s because we are a little less familiar with beasts that I’ve chosen to use them…

The most precious qualities that humans have are the ones what we share with animals: the qualities we are deeply in touch with subconsciously and maybe totally out of touch with in our conscious state.

We are all in tune with ourselves and we’re all in tune with every species living on the planet. including plants. We are all in tune with the same things. We’re all in tune with survival. Human beings spend a lot of time denying it and battling with their intellect.”