Ben Uri Research Unit

Born: London, England

Other name/s: Stephen Duncan FRSS

Biography

Artist and poet, Stephen Duncan was born in postwar London, England. Coming from a family that valued creativity and cultural engagement, Duncan was influenced by his late mother, the poet Beata Duncan, who was born in Berlin, Germany, the daughter of the Weimar playwright Hans Rehfisch. Beata’s poetry explored themes of exile, identity, and survival, reflecting her experiences as a refugee from Nazi Germany. These themes resonated with Duncan, shaping his understanding of displacement and hybridity, concepts he would explore throughout his career. He has described himself as a ‘hybrid’ artist, a term reflecting his German heritage and London upbringing (Insiders/Outsiders). Duncan studied at Wimbledon School of Art, where he earned a first-class honours degree in sculpture and printmaking (1971–74), and the Royal Academy of Art, completing a postgraduate certificate and receiving the Silver Medal for Sculpture (1974–77). He furthered his studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome (1978–79), returning to Italy with the Rome Award in Sculpture at the British School at Rome (1992–93) and the Brian Mercer Award at the Fonderia Mariani in Pietrasanta, Tuscany (2017).

Profoundly influenced by his teachers, including Peter Startup and Willi Soukop, Duncan formed lasting friendships with Soukop and Michael Werner, both émigré sculptors who had fled Nazi-dominated Europe. Their guidance not only shaped his technical skills but also expanded his outlook, nurturing his sense of cultural hybridity and his appreciation for the interplay of art, music, and literature. Duncan’s early practice was shaped by his use of found materials, inspired by his mentors and movements such as Arte Povera. As a teenager, he repurposed objects from London’s post-war bomb sites, producing works influenced by the Geometry of Fear school that explored themes of anxiety and reconstruction. These formative experiences led him to merge organic and architectural forms into works rich in metaphor and narrative. A hallmark of his art is the innovative use of natural materials, particularly the acanthus plant, casting its leaves into life-sized sculptures that blur the boundaries between human and natural forms. Duncan has described this approach as an exploration of ‘the poetic possibilities of a leaf in relationship to the human figure’ (Insiders/Outsiders). It also reflects his interest in transformation and metamorphosis, themes inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses during his Rome Award residency at the BSR. Duncan’s body of work includes the celebrated series Gods, Angels, and Prophets, which explores spiritual and mythological themes through large-scale sculptures and have been presented at prominent venues, including the British Museum, the Tate Modern and Transport For London. Public commissions, including River God at Elm Quay, Nine Elms Lane (upstream from Vauxhall Bridge, London) and Lotus at Nottingham Trent University, demonstrate his ability to integrate sculpture into urban and architectural environments. He has also created site-specific works for institutions like the National Trust and London Transport.

Duncan’s first solo exhibition was held at St Albans Cathedral (1979), followed by shows at the Lanchester Gallery, Coventry University (1995), and Woodlands Art Gallery (1997). His group exhibitions include collaborations with the Ben Uri Gallery and the Royal Society of Sculptors. In 2023 he participated in On the Edge, held at Espacio Gallery, London, and Ovada Gallery, Oxford, an exhibition addressing global crises such as climate change and conflict. The project reflected his commitment to socially engaged art, his involvement with the Brixton Artists Collective, and his solidarity work with sculptors in Ukraine.

In addition to his sculptures, Duncan has had a parallel career as a poet and writer. His poetry, featured in publications including Poetry Review and the TLS, often mirrors the themes of his sculptural work, weaving together metaphor and narrative and he has written extensively on contemporary art, contributing to journals and anthologies, including Artscribe and Art And Architecture. Duncan views his dual practices as interconnected, with both sculpture and poetry serving as mediums for exploring identity, memory, and transformation. Duncan is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Sculptors (FRSS). Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades, including the Critics’ Prize at MIART in Milan and University of the Arts research awards. He is also represented in publications such as Contemporary British Sculpture (Shiffer Books) and the Public Sculpture Series (Liverpool University Press). Duncan currently works between studios in London and Wales, where he continues to experiment with materials and forms. Recent works include a series of small bronze sculptures inspired by Etruscan art, produced during a residency at the Mariani foundry in Italy. Among other locations, Duncan's sculptures have been installed at parks such as Clynfw Sculpture Trail, Ebbw Vale Festival Park, Renishaw Hall, Hannah Peschar and Burghley Sculpture Parks with permanent commissions in the UK public domain for Clynfyw, Lewisham College, Nottingham Trent University, Wandsworth Council, and Waltham Forest Council. His poetry has won prizes and awards, including an Art Council Writers Award, and is featured on the poetry p f website. Duncan has devoted significant time to preserving his late mother’s literary legacy, editing several posthumous collections of Beata Duncan’s poetry.