Kenneth ArmitagePandarus (Version 8) 1963

Pandarus (version 8) is one in a series of twelve sculptures inspired by a character in the artist’s favourite tale from Chaucer, his great epic poem from the 1380s, Troylus and Criseyde. Pandarus was the noisy, kindly and highly active go-between who ensured that, despite belonging to opposing sides in the Trojan War, the couple were able to consummate their love. Armitage has explained:

From 1962 I began to make these things which had a tall tower-like shape, with funnels piercing through (the Pandarus series). The idea of the funnel was two-fold. You could see the thickness of the metal at the edge of the funnel, and the funnel also made confined shadows. These pieces were to do with communication and were like trumpets… (read more)