Denese Oates
Semaphore
4 November - 29 November 2025
Denese Oates’ sculpture has for many years been inspired by biology, botany and the many intriguing forms nature creates. Still working with her favourite medium of copper, here she combines the botanical forms with ideas around the relationship between semaphores and leaves.
Leaves, with their fleeting natural beauty and their symbolic significance across cultures, have also provided artists with endless inspiration throughout the ages. They are the signs of the eternal cycles that shape the world.
Here she is treating leaves as nature’s semaphores, pointing the way, sharing news, heralding alarms, whispering secrets, gently pacifying or sometimes howling warnings. Perhaps they're humming sweet nothings or singing solutions and probably much more for those attuned to the natural world.
Video of 'Waft' (small mobile)
 Semaphore Scramble 2025Copper, cast iron 203 x 80 x 45 cm cast iron base 44 x 44 x 5.5 cm |
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 Frolicking Semaphores 2025Copper, timber 222 x 60 x 34 cm Corton base 10 x 30 x 30 cm |
 Song of the Semaphores 2025Copper, timber, iron 223 x 110 x 24 cm |
 The Lure of the Semaphore 2025Copper, timber, brass, drill bit 700 x 140 x 40 cm |
 A Cocoon of Semaphores 2025Copper 90 x 23 x 14 cm |
 The Russell of the Semaphore 2025Copper 51 x 71 x 1.5 cm |
 Semaphoric Whirlpool 2025Copper 56 x 69 x 1.5 cm |
 Private Semaphore 2025Copper 63 x 56 x 4 cm |
 Lotus Semaphore 2025Copper, paper, timber 23 x 13 x 9 cm |
 Semaphoric Whispers 2025Timber, copper, gold leaf, paint 72 x 35 x 35 cm |
 Semaphore many hands III 2025Paper, gold leaf, timber 37 x 20 x 10 cm variable |
 Lighthouse Semaphore 2025Copper, timber 48 x 44 x 24.5 cm |
 Semaphore many hands I 2025Copper, brass gold leaf, copper leaf, timber 57 x 23 x 27 cm |
 Semaphore many hands VI 2025Copper, brass, timber 34 x 18 x 24 cm variable |
 Breath of the Semaphore (large mobile) |
 Waft (small mobile) |