Michael Cooper 1944-2025

The smooth surfaces and quiet energy of the animals Michael Cooper depicts makes them irresistibly tactile, an aspect which is undoubtedly linked to the careful, slow and reductive way in which they are first created.

Cooper says of his process: “As I carve a block of stone, it becomes possible to harmonise with the material and work in partnership with it rather than in conflict. The physical effort of carving and the concentration required produce a very precise focus, suspending the usual thought process and allowing another part of me to function."

Michael Cooper’s ability to depict the sheer force of the animals and figures he sculpts has led to various large scale public and private commissions, including two bears for Bicester Village, Oxfordshire, and a reclining figure carved in travertine marble for Covent Garden.