APEX PREDATORS

In partnership with Rump Gallery, The Smallest Gallery in Soho is delighted to present

Apex Predators

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?

About the Artist:

Alex Ford (b. United Kingdom) is a visual artist and filmmaker whose work navigates the shifting boundaries between the material and immaterial. Working across sculpture, moving image, and drawing, Ford explores the instability of form and authorship in an increasingly digital world. Beginning with virtual modelling and digital design, his works are translated into finely crafted physical artefacts that reflect the tension between virtual conception and tactile presence. 

Ford’s practice is marked by a fluid exchange between mediums and the recursive use of digital motifs, resulting in hybrid objects and fragmented narratives that resist fixed interpretation.
@alexford.studio

About Rump Gallery

Rump is a contemporary art gallery established in 2023, representing British and international artists working across a range of media. With a focus on emerging, conceptually driven practices, the gallery presents a curated programme of exhibitions and participates in art fairs across both local and international platforms. Rump is committed to supporting ambitious contemporary projects.
rumpgallery.com
@rumpgallery

Friend of the Gallery interview by London Art Roundup
Find interview with the artist and about the show via this link:
https://www.londonartroundup.com/reviews/artist-interview-alex-ford
As a Friend of the Gallery, London Art Roundup is provided with advance and behind-the-scenes access to interview the artists that exhibit at The Smallest Gallery in Soho. All contributions are voluntary. Neither the artist, gallery or London Art Roundup received any financial compensation for this interview.