Alexandra Harley/ Abstract Art

Alexandra Harley has been based in London since leaving college and creates abstract sculpture through a long-term, immersive engagement with materials. She studied sculpture at Wimbledon School of Art (1978–82) under Glyn Williams, Katherine Gilli, and Robin Greenwood, and continued her training on the Advanced Course at St Martin’s School of Art (1982–84), studying with Tim Scott and Alan Gouk.

Her early training was strongly rooted in figurative sculpture, and she maintained a preoccupation with the human figure after graduating. Over time, however, her practice evolved toward full abstraction, while retaining a focus on movement and gesture as central concerns.

Harley is an active member of the Royal Society of Sculptors (elected in 2000, trustee 2016–2019) and The London Group (elected in 2018). In 2019, she initiated Talking-Sculpture-Making, bringing together three sculptors to exhibit and engage in recorded discussions. The project has since developed into a series of exhibitions and events, including a symposium at York St John University with Griselda Pollock as keynote speaker. More recently, Natalie Rudd authored the catalogue essay and chaired a panel discussion for their exhibition at Hypha Studios, Stratford, London.

She has participated as an invited artist in international sculpture symposia, including the Andres Institute (New Hampshire), Contemporary Arts International (Massachusetts), and the Anguilla Stone Symposium. Her work has been included in prestigious juried exhibitions such as the Ashurst Sculpture Prize (2021), ING Discerning Eye, Cork Street Open, and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition.

Harley was also part of Brancaster Chronicles, a studio-based critique group involving her former tutors and invited artists, which ran until 2019. Her practice has been further enriched through international fellowships, including the East West Prize in Japan, residency at the Vermont Studio Center (USA), and the Brian Mercer Fellowship, which provided access to a bronze foundry in Pietrasanta, Italy.