I Will Rise

Borrowing its title from a line in the poem ‘Still I rise’ by Maya Angelou, this artwork muses on human resilience in the face of hardship. In the creation of her work Anthony dives deep into literature, cultural and historical events to distil the essence that will eventually be portrayed through her art. For I Will Rise, her research focused on literature, thinkers, and words that have guided society over the generations, or been synonymous with turning points in the pursuit of liberty and equality. Inspired by their words and in recognition of the role of artists and dreamers in shaping the world, Nicola Anthony has penned her own sculptural poem.

This artwork explores the power of resilience and affirmation within the infinite cycle of life. The words reference times of conflict and struggle so we are reminded that there is often a need to find strength, to find a better way forward, to rise. It is this balance of confronting the darkness of life but bringing out hopefulness that has informed Anthony's artistic practice throughout her career.