Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop’s vision for its Hawthornvale Space (a large window filled with an installation) is to connect the artists they support with their local community and passers-by. Without any exhibition labels to enhance the art on display, we might stumble across the window, glance puzzlingly at it and move on with our day. This is far removed from proactive engagement with an audience who ‘might not regularly visit art galleries’. 

This is not to say that A New Face In Hell by Sebastian Thomas doesn’t have anything to show of substance; in fact, quite the opposite is the case. The sculptor is preoccupied by how medieval Jewish mystics looked to the mythological fable of Golem to become closer to God. Structurally, the installation is vast and impressive, a solid indicator of how Thomas can sculpt with an array of materials. However, this complex story behind the work could be brought to the fore more effectively for people strolling by.

Sebastian Thomas: A New Face In Hell, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, until 16 September.