When I first submitted my proposals for the Aids Memorial at the end of August 2007, for a modern landmark sculpture of two intertwined figures soaring upwards, little did I know that there would be so many up and downs ahead.
After almost six months of trying to find premises large enough to accommodate the structure I was given the use of a converted cowshed deep in the Sussex countryside.  An armature was build in steel, I took delivery of half a tonne of clay, and in May 2008 commenced work on my biggest ever project.

After three months of hard work, one day I had that weird sense of something happening.  I put my hands up to the sculpture above me and to my horror felt pressure, it was moving.  I was rather alarmed and rather than make a run for it I stood there and the clay slowly fell around me in a ‘Buster Keaton type’ fashion.  Three months of very hard work, and half a tonne of clay collapsed in a heap on the floor.
A new, and much improved, armature was soon up and I saw the seasons change from up a ladder where I spent most of my time. November however saw another “down” time. One of the figures was not working in harmony with the other, and down came the upper body.

At the beginning of December Meridian Television visited my studio and filmed the sculpture for World Aids Day and was featured in the lunch time and evening news.

On the  January 2009 I neared completion.   Then  the extremes in temperature upset plans. The mould makers from the foundry had been due to visit the studio in the middle of January and take the rubber mould.  They cancelled due to the bad weather.  Worse, however, was to come.  The temperature at the farm was minus 5 during the day and minus 13 at night! The sculpture froze solid, and when it thawed lost all it’s integrity melting like chocolate. Lumps of clay began to crash down, and losing the entire sculpture was a real prospect. Luckily after days of wrapping in bubble wrap I was able to save most of the sculpture, and after several weeks of restoration the mould makers were able to take the mould.

The sculpture was cast at the Morris Singer Foundry, and will be unveiled by David Furnish, the partner to Elton John, On October 9th 2009.

Romany Mark Bruce

Editor’s note: Progress of the Aids  Memorial can be seen at Romany’s website blog – www.romanymarkbruce.com