We are thrilled to announce that renowned sculptor Nic Joly has unveiled his latest work, created to help raise much-needed funds for The Murray Parish Trust & NHS Charities Together. The limited edition piece, which will go on display at Castle Fine Art galleries across the UK, is called ‘We Can Be Heroes’, and carries the message “Who Cares Wins”; a play on words of the famous SAS motto Who Dares Wins.
During Lockdown back in March, Nic Joly had closed his Hampshire studio and like many of us, spent the time at home with his family, embracing homeschooling and sticking together during this strange time.
One morning he responded to a call on Social Media asking if anyone had a laser cutter and so got in touch. The person was asking for help with making disposable visors for NHS staff and key workers and so Nic and his family, keen to help in some way, got to work.
Over the next few weeks Nic got to know some incredible people while making visors for carers, homeworkers, doctors, nurses, COVID maternity wards and many more.
It was during this time that the seed of an idea to create an edition to support these wonderful people was born…
“The stories that these amazing people told of their everyday work were eye opening, and it struck me that these people were behaving like real heroes, not wanting praise. They were just doing their job, caring for us all quietly on the front line.”
Nic is known for his own unique style, creating tiny figurines made from wire, paper and clay, and has recently turned his hand to LED technology, 3D printing and typography. His #WhoCaresWins project draws on all of these exceptional talents
“As I watched the news and spoke to NHS staff and key workers, I realised, as we all did, that the people caring for all of us were really on the front line; they were like the SAS of care. I had the idea that if you change just one letter of the moto for the SAS, the phrase becomes something new, something that embodies the sentiment of how I believe we all feel. ‘Who Cares Wins’, instead of ‘Who Dares Wins’.”
£100 from the sale of each edition – the full edition size being 2020, to serve as a reminder of the community spirit that was born from our shared adversity this year – will be split between The Murray Parish Trust and NHS Charities Together.
‘We Can Be Heroes’ is available to pre-order from Monday 12th October
“We are so pleased to be working with Nic Joly on this fantastic limited edition piece. It really does commemorate this extraordinary year and reminds us all of the amazing work that our key workers and front-line heroes did, and are still doing, for the UK. The piece, ‘We Can Be Heroes’, demonstrates the support and compassion that was shown across our country and I look forward to seeing it showcased in our galleries for all to see.”
Ian Weatherby-Blythe, Group Managing Director at Castle Fine Art