World premiere of Hanneke Beaumont’s monumental new work at Bowman Sculpture, London.
This summer, Bowman Sculpture proudly presents Hanneke Beaumont: Sculpting the Universal Self, a solo exhibition celebrating over three decades of collaboration with one of Europe’s most contemplative and quietly radical sculptors. The exhibition will also premiere Beaumont’s most recent monumental sculpture “Duality”, which is coming to the gallery in London directly from Pietrasanta in Italy. Opening with a private view on 18th June and running from 19th June to 25th July 2025, the exhibition explores themes of identity, shared humanity, and emotional resonance through Beaumont’s distinctive sculptural language.
Hanneke Beaumont’s practice–rooted in classical materials such as terracotta, bronze, and cast iron– reimagines the figurative tradition for the 21st century. Her androgynous sculptures, neither male nor female, neither young nor old—eschew specificity in favour of emotional truth. With quiet power, they explore vulnerability, resilience, and the complexities of being human. Beaumont’s figures defy traditional categorisation. They are neither culturally specific nor geographically fixed. These bodies are purposefully ambiguous—unbound by labels or expectations—and yet they feel profoundly familiar. This is sculpture not of a person, but of the person: human, introspective, unresolved, whole.
Her work offers a quiet, essential perspective. As she puts it, “I represent the human being, regardless of where they are from, who they are or what they do. I believe some feelings are universal to mankind and wish to express these.” Her work gently proposes that identity is not a rigid concept but a shared, evolving space—one in which we can all find reflection.
Among Hanneke Beamount’s most recognisable public commissions is Stepping Forward, permanently installed outside the European Council in Brussels, an emblem of quiet determination and unity. Museum acquisitions include Le L’Ennui (The Baker Museum, FL), Installation 56 (Boca Raton Museum, FL), Melancholia II (Copelouzos Museum, Athens), and No.130 (Observing), now permanently situated at the entrance of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame. The latter stands as a symbolic guardian–its reflective presence inviting contemplation at the threshold of one of America’s newest art institutions.
Hanneke Beaumont: Sculpting the Universal Self also reflects a longstanding relationship between the artist and Bowman Sculpture. Since their first collaboration in the early 1990s, the gallery has championed Beaumont’s vision across numerous major exhibitions, including Bronze 25 & 26 (Connected and Disconnected) at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in the United States.
The exhibition brings together a curated selection of works spanning Beaumont’s career. Highlights include several brand-new sculptures, among them the debut of Bronze 161 (Duality), a monumental work that captures the artist’s enduring exploration of opposing forces—strength and vulnerability, connection and solitude—within the universal self. These are shown alongside key earlier pieces, including the final available casts of Bronze 71 (2005, edition 8/8) and Bronze 45 (1998, edition 8/8), offering a rare opportunity to view the arc of Beaumont’s practice across time.
Hanneke Beaumont: Sculpting the Universal Self: 19th June - 25th July, 2025.
Bowman Sculpture, 6 Duke Street, St James's, London SW1Y 6BN
Gallery opening hours: Monday - Friday 10 am - 6 pm,
Further Information: Bowman Sculpture