About this artwork

‘Three Oncologists’ was Ken Currie’s first official portrait commission. As the oncologists were unable to gather together for multiple portrait sittings he made life masks as a record of their appearance. However, Currie has stated that the commission was about more than recording likenesses. He spent many hours observing Sir Alfred Cuschieri and Professor Robert Steele in the operating theatre. Currie’s interaction with his subjects has enabled him to communicate an understanding of the nature and purpose of their work. In a conversation with the artist, Sir David Lane remarked that in his experience people see cancer as a form of “darkness”, from which it is an oncologist’s job to retrieve people.

Updated before 2020

see media
  • artist:
    Ken Currie (born 1960) Scottish
  • title:
    Mask of Professor Sir David Lane, born 1952
  • date created:
    2002
  • materials:
    Fibreglass
  • measurements:
    24.00 x 13.50 x 11.00 cm
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Given by Ken Currie, 2009
  • accession number:
    PG 3648 B
  • gallery:
  • depicted:
  • artwork photographed by:
    Antonia Reeve
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Ken Currie

Ken Currie