David Bowie ‘Earthly Messenger’

As a sculptor Andrew aims to bring alive the stories and achievements of the subjects he portrays. With an iconic personality like David Bowie, and the many sides to both his public and private persona, the challenge was to bring all these facets together in one coherent work of art. Working to a brief that determined a pre-selected location and clear idea of budget, Andrew developed a concept that utilised the large wall space of the chosen location and featured a bas-relief storybook of Bowie’s life alongside two dynamic three-dimensional life-sized figures. These figures would represent the two contrasting sides to his personality – the mature, besuited suave gentleman resting casually against the wall and his manic, famous alter-ego Ziggy Stardust leaping from it. The background also features a gold disc and images of some of his most iconic album covers. The story, images and iconography featured within the final sculpture design were chosen through research and collaboration with David Stopps, whose first-hand connection to Bowie and his consummate knowledge of Bowie’s music ensured that nothing important was missed.

Andrew Sinclair’s sculptures are unique in their highly skilled attention to detail. This sculpture delivers on many levels: weaving the story of Bowie’s life and multiple personas within the bas-relief, in chronological fashion from 1971 through to his death in 2016; to the engaging and truly life-like figures adorned with contemporary realist highlights of the folds of cloth, buttons and watch-chain leaving no detail left out; whilst ensuring Bowie’s distinctive facial features are true to life in both the outlandish Ziggy Stardust and as the happier, debonair, mature family-man he became in later life.