Saatchi Gallery Presents Engagement Sculpture Over Royal Wedding Weekend

LONDON, April 26, 2011 - From Thursday 28 until sundown Saturday 30 April (with press
opportunities from Wednesday afternoon), those Londoners not invited to
Westminster Abbey can console themselves by taking part in a special project
hosted by The Saatchi Gallery. Taking place over the Royal Wedding Weekend,
Londoners and tourists alike can momentarily step into Kate Middleton's
boots: trying on the iconic engagement ring and posing alongside a life-sized
wax model of Prince William.

"Engagement (with Prince William sculpted by Daniel Druet)" by
acclaimed American artist Jennifer Rubell will be displayed for the public to
interact with under the covered portico of the gallery at the nobly titled
Duke of York Square.

Realising anew the traditional genre of Royal portraiture Rubell here
presents a minutely detailed, life-sized wax model of Prince William. William
stands in the exact stance seen in coverage of the engagement announcement,
dressed in his Savile Row suit, Churches brogues and Omega Seamaster
wristwatch. Missing from the scene is his fiancée, but her iconic sapphire
and diamond engagement ring remains behind attached to his forearm. The
public are invited to step up onto the plinth, link arms with the sculpture
and experience their own Prince Charming fantasy.

The ensuing picture of royalty and its subject rests somewhere between an
official portrait and seaside entertainment. An illustration of democracy or
an encapsulation of the contemporary monarch (and monarch's spouse): the
sculpture invites the public to play a part in this historic moment of public
celebration.

NOTES TO EDITOR

Jennifer Rubell (b. 11 June 1970) is widely recognised for a
series of large-scale 'food installations' which have been exhibited in
numerous museums around the world, including the Saatchi Gallery (London),
the LA County Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, the National Portrait
Gallery (Washington) and the Rubell Family Collection (Miami).

The replica ring was made by London jeweller Karlin Anderson. It follows
the exact design of the iconic ring that first belonged to Princess Diana
which was composed of an oval sapphire stone weighing 18 carats and
surrounded by 14 small diamonds in an elegant cluster.

The work will be on display from Thursday 28 - Saturday 30 April, at
The Saatchi Gallery:

Opening hours:

10am-6pm, last entry 5:30pm

    Address:
    Duke of York's HQ
    King's Road
    London
    SW3 4SQ

    For further press information and images, please contact:

    Alice Walters
    Stephen Friedman Gallery
    alice@stephenfriedman.com
    +44(0)20-7494-1434

For further press information and images, please contact: Alice Walters, Stephen Friedman Gallery, alice at stephenfriedman.com, +44(0)20-7494-1434