The Gymnast by Francis Aubrey Shurrock
Produced by Aigantighe Art Gallery
This statuette was made around 1927 and depicts a young woman dressed to practice gymnastics. It is by sculptor and teacher Francis Aubrey Shurrock, and was likely modelled on his wife's cousin, Kenna Moore.
Born in Lancashire, England, Francis Shurrock trained as an artist from a young age, tutoring younger pupils before being awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Art in London. He actively participated in many aspects of student life, including captaining the cricket and rugby teams and conducting a 12-piece orchestra.
During the First World War, he joined the West Yorkshire Regiment, and his traumatic experiences took a heavy toll on him. Wounded twice, gassed, and taken as a prisoner of war, Shurrock also lost many friends and classmates in the conflict. It was almost a decade before he returned to making art.
He moved to New Zealand in 1924 to recover his health. Living and working in Christchurch, he met and married his wife, Elizabeth, in 1925. They were described as linked free spirits and stood out in the Christchurch art scene with their unconventional dress and vibrant personalities.
Shurrock taught sculpture at the Canterbury College School of Art, and his bright, enthusiastic energy made him popular with his students. He enjoyed folk and Morris dancing, and reportedly encouraged his students to dance during their lunch breaks. This passion for movement and rhythm informs how he captures the human figure in this sculpture.
The bold, confident pose of The Gymnast carries a sense of the model's personality. It was likely modelled on Miss Kenna Moore, Shurrock's wife's niece, who sat for several of his works and was described as "very athletic." The figure’s form and posture convey a sense of strength and fitness naturally carried in her easy grace.
Glancing away to the side, there is a sense of suspended movement, as though she is waiting for a cue to burst into action. A friend of Shurrock's described the statuette as "very alert and alive," expressing "the modern outlook of adolescent girlhood."
The bronze has been given a verde antique patina, giving it an aged greenish appearance. The use of this finish for a contemporary subject combines the gymnast's lively spirit with the appearance of antiquity, connecting this sculpture to ancient statues of goddesses and mythological figures. This association suggests The Gymnast could be seen as a modern female ideal, embodying health, youth, and beauty.