Barry Flanagan (1941–2009) was one of Britain’s most important and beloved sculptors. He initially studied architecture at Birmingham College of Art and Crafts before enrolling in the Vocational Diploma in Sculpture at St. Martin’s School of Art, London, in 1964. After graduating in 1966, he went on to teach at both St. Martin’s and the Central School of Arts and Crafts. In recognition of his contribution to British art, he was elected a Royal Academician in 1991 and awarded an OBE.

From the beginning, Flanagan’s work was seen as radical and innovative. While still a student, he exhibited his soft sculpture aaing j gni aa (1965) at Better Books in London—a piece that challenged traditional concepts of sculpture and was later acquired by Tate. His interest in ‘pataphysics’—Alfred Jarry’s “science of imaginary solutions”—deeply informed his approach, resulting in playful, often unpredictable forms created from sand, rope, sheet metal, cloth, clay, and eventually bronze.

Flanagan held his first solo exhibition at Rowan Gallery, London, in 1966, and later exhibited at Waddington Galleries. He became known for his involvement in experimental practices, collaborating with artists like Yoko Ono and participating in performances and happenings. He also worked with film, contributing to Gerry Schum’s landmark Land Art broadcast with his 1969 film A Hole in the Sea.

In the 1980s, Flanagan began working in bronze, creating the dynamic and often whimsical animal sculptures for which he is best known—particularly hares. These expressive figures, first conceived in 1979 after a chance sighting on the Sussex Downs, became central to his practice. Cast in bronze, the hares appear boxing, dancing, leaping, and reclining—playful yet profound reflections on human form and classical sculpture. For Flanagan, the hare was both a symbol and a surrogate—a mythological figure associated with life, immortality, and elusiveness.

He represented Britain at the Venice Biennale in 1982 and was the subject of a major retrospective at Fundación La Caixa in Madrid (1993), which toured to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nantes (1994). His monumental bronze hares have been exhibited in public spaces worldwide, including Park Avenue in New York (1995–96) and Grant Park in Chicago (1996).