The Smallest Gallery in Soho presents ‘Apex Predators’
In partnership with Rump Gallery, The Smallest Gallery in Soho is delighted to present ‘Apex Predators’ by Alex Ford.
‘Apex Predators’ is a striking meditation on perception and reality, probing the illusion of human supremacy within the ecological order. Through precise observation of everyday life, Ford transcends surface appearances, embedding subtle cues that reveal deeper environmental and societal undercurrents. Renowned for his bold use of colour, Ford continues this approach here, rendering both figures in a vivid red that recalls the sunburnt cliché of ‘Brits abroad.’ This visual prompt, at once comic and uncomfortable, melds with the sculptures’ hyperreal yet faintly exaggerated forms to critique the idealised notions of beauty, power, and public image.
Traditionally, the term apex predator suggests unchallenged dominance. Yet Ford subverts this idea by depicting two late-middle-aged figures, slumped yet vigilant, their weary stances belied by a steady, confronting gaze. Their closeness suggests intimacy, but their isolation on separate plinths underlines the difference between physical proximity and genuine connection, inviting viewers to interpret the dynamic themselves. Slightly under life-size, the sculptures embody paradox: weathered yet resilient, vulnerable yet dignified. Their orientation-facing outward-sets up a charged encounter with the viewer, provoking a reflection on aging, identity, and the quiet disintegration of dominance. With characteristic wit and empathy, Ford leaves us to consider: what does power look like when it’s no longer assumed?
September 2025 – January 2026 at 62 Dean Street, London W1D 4QF.
https://www.thesmallestgalleryinsoho.com/
