Hamish Mackie
dal 10/10/2010 al 22/10/2010
Segnalato da
10/10/2010
Hamish Mackie
The Gallery in Cork Street, London
The artist demonstrates his ability to capture the movement, energy and character of his favourite animals, all exquisitely cast in bronze and silver. The exhibition is affiliated with the Tusk Trust and Kenya's Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a vast sanctuary for endangered species where the artist spent time studying and recreating the animals around him.
Sparring bull elephants, leaping impala, graceful leopards and black rhinos will be released into the Cork Street Gallery on October 11th by Hamish Mackie, one of Britain’s top wildlife sculptors. In his first solo exhibition for three years, Mackie demonstrates his ability to capture the movement, energy and character of his favourite animals, all exquisitely cast in bronze and silver. The exhibition is affiliated with the Tusk Trust and Kenya’s Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a vast sanctuary for endangered species where the artist spent time studying and recreating the animals around him.
Mackie has always immersed himself in the natural environment. He gets up close and personal to his subjects; whether he is standing a matter of yards away from a herd of elephant or studying the carcass of a wild boar in his studio, he manages to truly capture the essence of his subjects in a way which only sculpting from life allows. The 40 works in Mackie’s Cork Street menagerie will captivate viewers with their unmistakable energy and outstanding sense of movement.
Mackie’s purpose built studio is in the garden of his converted barn in Oxfordshire. Amongst the system of hoists and pulleys which he uses to hang Hamish Elephant Lewa 31.jpgWild Boar Original_4077.jpgcarcasses for study, lie impressive examples of his unique craftsmanship. A wild boar and a red stag, both bronze and life-size, which stand proud alongside a large Spanish bull, add testament to Mackie’s adventurous research trips. From living amongst the Kenyan flora and fauna and fishing for yellowfin tuna off the Lamu coast, to studying the anatomy of bulls in Spain and stalking stag in the Scottish Highlands, Mackie has managed to turn his fervent passion for nature into a successful vocation.
Replicating the many facets of animal character, Mackie’s work exudes the powerful yet poignant juxtapositions of the animal kingdom, capturing the duplicity of both predator and matriarch. Mackie’s three elephant sculptures exemplify this as they show three different aspects to elephant behaviour. The sculpture of the fighting bulls is being cast as a unique one-off in silver, and is one of the largest silver sculptures to be cast this year.
The production process is meticulous and highly skilled. By initially sculpting his subject out of clay or wax over an armature made of steel or aluminium, silicon rubber moulds, wax positives and ceramic shells can be made in preparation for the ancient 'lost wax’ casting technique. Intrigued by the fact that you are able to cast a fingerprint into bronze, Mackie likes to leave a history in the surface of his sculptures: “The forceful push of my palm running down a leopard's leg generates power into the sculpture and leaves a history as to how it was made.” He is also one of very few sculptors to carry out their own patination, as he regards “the process to be equally as important as the colour of paint on a canvas.” Each of his sculptures is limited edition, signed, dated and numbered.
Opening 11th October, 2010
The Gallery in Cork Street
28 Cork Street, London W1S 3NG
free admission