Professor Stephen Hawking
Commissioned for Cambridge University, 2018
Eve Shepherd was commissioned to create two unique sculptures paying tribute to the legendary physicist Stephen Hawking.
Crafted in a one-of-a-kind partnership between Stephen and Eve, these visually striking sculptures seek to unravel the layers of both the man and the scientist, delving into the story of Stephen’s extraordinary life and intellect.
Stephen Hawking - a luminary in theoretical physics - made groundbreaking contributions to cosmology, black holes, and the nature of the universe.
Diagnosed with ALS in his early twenties, Stephen continued his scientific pursuits even as his physical abilities declined. At the time of his death in March 2018, Stephen had defied all expectations - having built a family, authored best-selling books, and navigated life with his illness for an astounding 55 years. It’s within this remarkable narrative that these pieces come to life, symbolising the triumph of intellect over adversity.
Over their extensive 18-month collaboration, Eve worked closely with Stephen to ensure the sculpture’s accuracy. By working in his Cambridge office and observing his day-to-day life, Eve was able to experience Stephen, not just as a world-renowned scientist, but as a person. She fondly recalls him as a distinctive personality, with a fantastic sense of humour, adding a personal connection to this exceptional tribute.
Both Eve and Stephen were passionate about incorporating his disability, depicting his wheelchair in exceptional detail – acknowledging and honouring the significance to his identity, career, and groundbreaking contributions to physics.
In the bronze sculpture, Stephen can be seen surrounded by a vortex, representing his deep engagement with the cosmos, whilst also encapsulating his expansive and powerful mind, ultimately celebrating him as both a man and a scientific luminary.
Staff at Cambridge University were so impressed with Eve’s depiction of Professor Hawking that they commissioned a larger version to be made.
The 3m tall bronze statue is displayed permanently in a contemplation garden at the university where Professor Hawking worked.
