Electric Fire with Red Fish

Bill Woodrow's "Electric Fire with Red Fish" from 1981 combines an actual electric fire with enamel and acrylic paint to create a mixed media sculpture that blurs the boundaries between functional object and fine art. The work's modest dimensions of 270 x 370 x 170mm belie its conceptual ambition, as Woodrow transforms an everyday domestic appliance into a vehicle for artistic exploration. Originally gifted by the artist to its current owner, this sculpture exemplifies Woodrow's innovative approach to incorporating readymade and found materials into his sculptural practice.