The bronze sculpture, of a male and female form, stands about two metres ( six feet) tall. The high quality bronze cast makes you want to stroke the curves but that would probably be totally inappropriate!
The plaque, on the plinth, reads:
"'It Takes Two' / Bob Allen / Sculptor / 2002".
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Bob Allen takes his inspiration from nature. He carves his pieces in wood using traditional tools such as adze, bolster and chisels.
It Takes Two is a bronze cast of an original carving in English Yew from the fallen bough of an ancient tree listed in the Doomsday Book. When he started the work, Allen did not know what he would create. The female form emerged first which, he then complemented with a male form – they are locked together in a dance, entwined and inseparable.
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Canary Wharf means a lot to artist Bob Allen. It was this commission that gave him the confidence to become a full-time freelance sculptor.
A chance meeting with a director from Canary Wharf Group led to the six foot bronze It Takes Two being installed in Canada Place. At the time he was giving a carving demonstration outside a friend's shop.
The piece, a dedication to the complexity of relationships, depicts a male and female form entwined as a single union. The legs of the male appear to form a heart.
Bob takes his inspiration from nature. The final design for this sculpture was not planned, it grew organically as he worked. He carves exclusively in wood, working outside and using traditional tools.
The sculptor who has no formal training has also been commissioned to create pieces for an executive housing estate next to the Olympic stadium in Stratford and a high rise development in front of East India Dock station.
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