Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 66, The Whiteley Galleries

Balancing Bowl (3)

Balancing Bowl (3)
2016 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Juliette Bigley makes abstract metal sculptures to investigate and communicate ideas about how our internal experiences interact with the physical world. Balancing Bowl (3) is one of a series of sculptures in which she explores solidity and function through combinations of form and material. The bowl is made from a flat sheet of metal and appears to balance on the edge of its base. The matte surface emphasises the bowl’s shape and the soft, tactile nature of silver.

After a successful career in healthcare management, Juliette Bigley trained as a silversmith at the Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design under influential makers including Simone ten Hompel and David Clarke. She has since become a leading silversmith and exhibits widely nationally and internationally.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Balancing Bowl (3)
  • Stand for Balancing Bowl (3)
  • Pin for Balancing Bowl (3)
TitleBalancing Bowl (3) (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Silver, raised and soldered, matt finish, the stand of patinated gilding metal
Brief description
Balancing Bowl (3), silver and patinated gilding metal, London hallmarks for 2016, mark of Juliette Bigley.
Physical description
The bowl, silver with a matt finish, hemispherical with a flat top which has a recessed circular depression, the circumference with a slight indentation. The base, of patinated gilding metal, square with straight sides. The bowl is secured, off centre, to the base by a silver pin.
Dimensions
  • Of bowl height: 12.2cm
  • Of bowl diameter: 16.9cm
  • Of base height: 4.3cm
  • Of base length: 20.5cm
  • Of base width: 20.2cm
  • Of pin length: 7.5cm
Style
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
  • London hallmarks for 2016
  • Mark of Juliette Bigley
Gallery label
  • Balancing Bowl (3) Silver and patinated gilding metal Juliette Bigley London hallmarks for 2016 Juliette Bigley makes abstract metal sculptures to investigate and communicate ideas about how our internal experiences interact with the physical world. Balancing Bowl (3) is one of a series of sculptures in which she explores solidity and function through combinations of form and material. The bowl is made from a flat sheet of metal and appears to balance on the edge of its base. The matte surface emphasises the bowl’s shape and the soft, tactile nature of silver. Purchase funded by the James Yorke Radleigh Bequest Museum no. M.42:1-3-2017 (24.10.22)
  • BALANCING BOWL (3) Silver and patinated gilding metal London hallmarks for 2016 Mark of Juliette Bigley Designed and made by Juliette Bigley (born 1978) Purchased with funds from the Yorke-Radleigh Bequest M.42:1-3,-2017 (07/11/20107)
Credit line
Purchase funded by the James Yorke Radleigh Bequest
Object history
Purchased directly from the silversmith.
Summary
Juliette Bigley makes abstract metal sculptures to investigate and communicate ideas about how our internal experiences interact with the physical world. Balancing Bowl (3) is one of a series of sculptures in which she explores solidity and function through combinations of form and material. The bowl is made from a flat sheet of metal and appears to balance on the edge of its base. The matte surface emphasises the bowl’s shape and the soft, tactile nature of silver.

After a successful career in healthcare management, Juliette Bigley trained as a silversmith at the Cass School of Art, Architecture and Design under influential makers including Simone ten Hompel and David Clarke. She has since become a leading silversmith and exhibits widely nationally and internationally.
Collection
Accession number
M.42:1-3,-2017

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Record createdSeptember 29, 2017
Record URL
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