The Soden Collection is proud to officially unveil the Shards, a new body of work by Halima Cassell MBE that distils her sculptural language into a series of dynamic, finely carved forms. This collection is the result of months of conversation, experimentation and studio visits, culminating in a group of works that feel both intimate and architecturally powerful.
The film we recently recorded with Halima inside the gallery captures this energy perfectly. It offers a rare glimpse into the thinking behind the Shards – how each piece begins with a simple geometric concept and grows through rhythm, proportion and her instinctive approach to carving.
As Halima describes in the film, I feel that the Shards have just as much play with light as my larger sculptures, but there is an extra element where the knife markings within each Shard are still there — they are preliminary drawings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2aCP_8CADA
These traces of the carving process give the works a rawness and immediacy that deepen their connection to her larger sculptural practice.
The Shards carry all the hallmarks of Halima’s sculptural voice: the push and pull of light across the carved surface, the tension between symmetry and deviation, and that unmistakable sense of movement that seems to radiate from within the form. Even in their stillness, they feel alive.
As Jonathan explains in the film, this is a new series that captivates her distinctive carving and style in a smaller, more intimate way — pieces that feel deeply connected to Halima’s larger sculptural language, yet offer a closeness and immediacy that is entirely their own.
This series marks an important step in our partnership with Halima, who has become far more than one of the UK’s leading sculptors – she is a central part of the creative identity of the gallery. From her architectural ambitions, to her recent shortlisting (alongside Thomas Heatherwick) for the Queen’s Memorial, her work continues to grow in significance and reach. Yet the Shards feel deeply personal: concentrated, thoughtful and created with absolute clarity of intention.
Filming the conversation with Halima was a reminder of how grounded her process is. Everything begins with carving. Everything begins with touch. The tools, the lines, the physical act of cutting into material – these are her constant anchors. What emerges are forms that hold rhythm, depth and emotion in equal measure.
The Shards are available exclusively through the Soden Collection, both online and in the gallery.
If you would like to arrange a viewing, or to visit Halima’s studio here in Shropshire, please contact the gallery.