Animals are at the heart of Sophie Ryder’s art practice and her life. Her work abounds with mysterious half-human, half-animal hybrids that seem to spring from a fusion of fairytales, dreams and mythology. Ryder’s enduring character known as the Lady Hare – which she describes a companion for the Minotaur – combines a female body with the head of a hare, a mystical creature in folklore. Like wearing a mask, the persona of the hare makes the figure’s identity fluid and enigmatic. With her highly personal, often playful, style and narratives, the artist explores sexuality and spirit.

Wire has been an important medium to Ryder throughout her career, and is a demanding material to manipulate and shape on this monumental scale. Sitting is over 5 metres high and the figure is bisected vertically so that the surrounding landscape can be seen through it.