Dilworth often encases found natural objects, such as animal bones, within his sculptures. African flame wood comes from the Peltophorum genus, the ancient Greek for ‘shield-bearing’, so it is a befitting material, especially as it refers more directly to the contents within the piece, that therefore ‘bears the shield’. And so the holder never touches or sees the heart of the object, guarded by this tactile and earthly casing. It is both smooth and egg-like, assigning it vulnerability and youth, while also asserting strength and toughness with its iron rivets; a neatly bound metaphor for life.