The March 2008 issue of Rio Tinto Review, available on Scribd has this to say about the newly commissioned piece that stands outside the Rio Tinto offices:
It's one of the first things visitors to the Paddington Regional Centre will notice – a 7m high abstract sculpture, loosely based on a tree. The work of sculptor Bryan Kneale, "Clove" stands outside the building in a paved area to the east, flanked by live topiary. The choice of materials, stainless steel in a combination of highly polished and matt satin finishes supported by a copper "trunk", is clearly no coincidence. All new buildings in London are obliged to display a piece of public art, but the developer's original proposal of two glass statues to be erected in the entrance did not accurately reflect Rio Tinto's business, so the Group commissioned its own work. Neil Usher explains, "We wanted a landmark that would be seen as a valuable addition to public art in the capital and would demonstrate our appreciation of contemporary British sculpture." Its title has lent a brand name to the building's Clove coffee bar and restaurant.
Bryan Kneale RA
Born on the Isle of Man in 1930, Kneale trained as an artist and sculptor in London and Rome, before teaching at Hornsey College of Art and Design, and then at the Royal College of Art. He was also Master and later Professor of Sculpture at the Royal Academy between 1982 and 1990. In addition, numerous exhibitions of his own painting and sculptures have been held since the 1950's, and his works are displayed in countries such as Australia, Brazil, New Zealand and the United States. In the USA, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City includes examples of his work amongst its public collections.
[Kneale is the younger brother of the screenwriter Nigel Kneale (1922–2006), best known for his Quatermass television serials.]