For centuries, artists have been casting the faces of greatness in bronze, holding places and events suspended in time. Dating back to 2500 BCE, bronze has captured the likeness of The Thinker and The Charioteer of Delphi.
Ruth Abernethy continues this tradition from her studio in Wellesley, bringing to shape the faces of famous Canadians and global icons from Oscar Petersen to Queen Elizabeth II to more recently Margaret Atwood. This past Sunday, her works were put on display with the release of her latest book, In Form: Life and Legacies in Bronze, a sequel to the 2016 title Life and Bronze, A Sculptor’s Journal. The book is a reflection on her works and a career that spans more than 40 years, from the stages of the Stratford Festival to the gardens of Vimy Ridge.
Abernethy says the book speaks to the “nature of communicative work”, as she delves into a post-COVID world. She says public milestones and celebrations continue to matter and that her pieces allow for a unique exchange between the artwork and the viewer.
“I love the democracy of public artwork,“ she said. “Bronze is unmatched by any other material item. It could last 10,000 years, making it the most democratic of art forms.”
Over the years, Abernethy said she has had the opportunity to do countless commissions. When faced with some of the most iconic Canadians being molded in her hands, she said it is important to look past the physical appearance of the person and remember the achievements and impact associated with them.
“I’m much more interested in the legacies,” she said, adding that some works can be difficult to bring to life due to complex narratives and the emotions tied to subjects by those commissioning the work. “ It's very difficult work and an emotional burden.”
She added she enjoys bringing the stories of otherwise unknown subjects to life. She recently completed a statue of Ada MacKenzie, a female Canadian golfer who was a medallist at the 1927 U.S. Women’s Amateur and semi-finalist in 1932. Furthermore, she was also the founder of the Ladies’ Golf and Tennis Club of Toronto. The work was commissioned by the club to mark its 100 anniversary.
Abernethy believes it is significant to bring the faces of women to the forefront, as they have often been left out of the commemorative arts.
“I have been willing women’s portraits. There are lots of deserving, remarkable women in this country,” she said, noting many women have not been included in portraiture in the past due to a combination of being overlooked and ‘accommodation’.
“Women need to understand what our contributions are and not shortchange ourselves,” she said.
Over the years, Abernethy has used her skill and knowledge from working at the Stratford Festival to help refine the bronze sculpture process and become a leader in her craft.
“It’s all about character, and that has been my approach to portraiture. I am moving with my heart through various decisions,” she said. “I have always been very dimensional in my thinking.”
From her off-grid studio in Wellesley, Ontario, Abernethy said she enjoys the quiet of the creative process, though, she added, she still misses the prop shop and collective creativity of working with the team at Stratford Theatre.
“When I’m working on something, it wouldn’t matter where I was,” she said. “I like things to be reasonably ordered. It’s all about the focus. The space at which you are rendering is an extraction itself.”
Abernethy describes her creative process as one of energy and spontaneity, or as she defines it, ‘very well-planned spontaneity’. She said there is a great deal of time spent thinking it through with the long-term goal of ‘nailing it’.
“I want my portraits to be in the moment. I’m not just interested in being able to recognize the subject. I want it to appear when you aren’t looking, they are walking around,” she said. “It’s the uniqueness of the physicality. I want that in the moment.”
Abernethy noted that creating a piece is also more than simply copying an image, using the example of Glenn Gould as a challenging work. She said Gould was a master of crafting his public image. As a result, she said she chose to work on an image that she thought was enigmatic and appealing in a slightly dimensional way.
As for moving ahead with a third book, Abernethy said she already has some ideas in mind. Though not in the works at the moment, she said a future book would feature more personal pieces. Having sculpted the people who define Canada, she wants to continue to bring these people to the forefront.
“We share a great landscape in the literal and figurative sense in Canada. It’s like going on a road trip that has been underway for a while. We always felt Canada was our place. We have such diversity on the ground,” she said.
Despite having a body of work that spans more than two decades, Abernethy said she does not foresee herself as being a subject any time soon.
“I’m not much interested in a self-portrait. There’s too much fascinating real life at every turn,” she said. Instead, her book is a self-portrait of her work, which she says is 'a glimpse of Canadians and creates a constructive dialog'.
The book will be available for purchase as of September 21.
