My materials-led sculptural practice focuses on ideas of motion, animation and flux; the sculptures are a physical manifestation of suspended animation, a transitory fragment in time, a fleeting moment. While not actually kinetic, I create spatial and dynamic configurations to capture and render motion, constructing complex sculptural forms from multiple elements, generating an openness of form.
Working predominantly with wood, ceramic and more recently, bronze, the constructed sculptures have an energetic interplay between the parts and with rhythmic qualities of motion. I’m interested in embodying a sense of unease and tension, in making pieces that teeter on the edge of stability.
Professional Associations
The London Group was set up in 1913 by thirty two artists including Walter Sickert, Jacob Epstein, Wyndham Lewis, David Bomberg, and Henri Gaudier Brzeska. Today, it is a thriving democratic artists’ collective, practicing in all disciplines, with an exciting international programme of events and exhibitions.
Since her election in 2018, Harley has been an active member of the society and participated in various London exhibitions.
The Brancaster Chronicles are a series of recorded discussions made on the occasion of exhibitions of abstract painting and sculpture. Harley was a founding member of the project in 2013.
Each Chronicle is organised, transcribed and filmed by the relevant participating artists, and shown with photographs of the work to recreate the environment in which it was initially discussed.
The Royal Society of Sculptors was founded over 100 years ago in 1905 to champion contemporary sculpture. It remains an artist-led organisation that supports and connects sculptors throughout their careers.
Alexandra Harley has been an active member since her election in 2000. She served a term on the Board of Trustees 2017-2020 and has been selected for several member-only exhibitions.
Free Painters and Sculptors was established in 1952 and played a significant role in the establishment of London's abstract art scene in the 1950’s and 60’s, originally in association with the Institute of Contemporary Arts. This revolutionary ethos continues today among its diverse artistic membership.
Harley is a regular participant in FPS' biannual exhibitions at renowned central London galleries.
Talking Sculpture Making
TSM was formed in 2019 to share the experiences of the artists Alexandra Harley, Gillian Brent and Sheila Vollmer, providing and generating support and shared networks. All the artists have been working and exhibiting nationally and internationally, since the 1980s.
Their exhibitions and public discussions showcase abstract sculpture and consider its importance and relevance today. They invite artists from their networks and beyond, across generations and locations to show with them, opening up dialogues about abstract practices. They are working to provide opportunities to have a broader dialogue with audiences, including artists, curators, students, art historians, academics and gallery visitors regarding the history and future generations of women working in this discipline.