De Monchaux's 1984 Unicorn is launched at Expo Chicago

1984 Unicorn is a significant new work by British artist and sculptor Cathy de Monchaux. Originally created in 1984 as her final project at art school, the sculpture was constructed at almost full scale, based on the size of a pony, and made of cane and tissue paper. Due to the technical restrictions of casting such a complex shape, inside and out, at the time, and therefore the inevitable destruction of the original, the work was preserved in its original form and kept in the artist’s London studio for decades, almost as a personal talisman.

By 2024, technology had progressed so far as to enable her to return to it. Two days of non-stop digital scanning of every ”pore” allowed for a completely precise 3D-printed mould to be fashioned, enabling the piece to be cast finally in bronze using the traditional lost wax method. The result is a fully realized, durable version of the original Unicorn, maintaining every detail, while gaining a new permanence and presence through its bronze form.

This version represents the second life of the artwork—both a faithful continuation of the artist’s early vision and a reactivation of its themes in a contemporary context.