News Story
BRB and the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham have collaborated to present a commissioned piece by renowned artist and sculptor Angela de la Cruz. The piece is part of her exhibition UPRIGHT, which opened on 25 March and closes on 6 September 2026.
Since October 2025, Angela has spent time with BRB dancers, observing rehearsals for The Nutcracker. The resulting work draws parallels between the broken nutcracker doll, the dancers’ ability to convey fragility and strength, and Angela's own method of binding materials into elegant yet robust forms.
Guest curated by Carolina Grau, the exhibition focuses on Angela's concern with the human body and the realities of everyday survival. Her sculptural paintings – such as Still Life with Table (2000), featuring canvas stretched over collapsed domestic structures, and Bloated III (Blue) (2012), composed of hammered metal – capture the physical dimensions of her body and emotional relationships between strength and fragility.
Born in La Coruña, Spain, and based in London, Angela de la Cruz has been a leading figure in contemporary sculpture and expanded painting for more than 30 years. She was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2010, and this exhibition marks her first solo exhibition in the UK outside London.
