Bob Allen - It Takes Two (2002)

Bob Allen - It Takes Two (2002)

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.