Bottle III, 2020

Philip Eglin transforms the familiar into something quietly monumental. In Bottle III, the artist draws on the humble language of plastic bottles and impressed glass, allowing their ridges, seams, and patterned surfaces to shape the form. What emerges is a vessel that feels at once classical and contemporary: its silhouette echoing ancient pottery, while its surface retains the unmistakable imprint of modern, disposable objects.

This interplay between past and present gives the work its particular tension. The enduring, almost archetypal form contrasts with textures drawn from everyday life, suggesting both permanence and ephemerality. Eglin invites the viewer to look again at what is usually overlooked, revealing a subtle beauty in the marks and materials of contemporary culture.

Philip Eglin’s work is held in numerous public collections in the UK and internationally.