Thomas Houseago
dal 1/4/2012 al 20/7/2012
Segnalato da
1/4/2012
Thomas Houseago
Hauser & Wirth, London
'Large Owl (For B)', dedicated to the artist's daughter, is a monumental sculpture and one of Houseago's largest variants of the subject. Originally constructed from traditional materials such as plaster, hemp and iron rebar, it has been cast in bronze and is situated upon a redwood plinth.
Hauser & Wirth Outdoor Sculpture, Southwood Garden, London
In collaboration with St. James's Church, Piccadilly
Hauser & Wirth is delighted to present
Thomas Houseago's 'Large Owl (For
B)' as part of the gallery's outdoor
sculpture programme at Southwood
Garden, St. James's Church, London.
This presentation acts as a preview to
Houseago's debut exhibition with the
gallery, opening at Hauser & Wirth's
Savile Row space in September 2012.
Rarely seen in the daylight, the owl
has long been associated with the
supernatural activities of the night and,
for many cultures, is a symbol of mystery,
wisdom and vigilance. Houseago's 'Large
Owl (For B)' will watch over the unique
setting of Southwood Garden, a tranquil
enclosure nestled in between London's
busiest streets, until mid-July.
'Large Owl (For B)', dedicated to the artist's
daughter, is a monumental sculpture and one of Houseago's largest variants of the
subject. Originally constructed from traditional materials such as plaster, hemp and iron
rebar, 'Large Owl (For B)' has been cast in bronze and is situated upon a redwood plinth.
Houseago has translated the delicate feathers of the owl into weighty cylinders, coarsely
daubed onto the surface to build up the sculpture into one cohesive form. Like many of
Houseago's figures, instead of eyes, the owl looks out on the garden through gaping
holes, contrasting its seemingly dense physicality with a hollow gaze.
In a conversation with Rachel Rosenfeld-Lafo, Houseago stated that he needed to be
very much involved in the activity of making: 'I am fascinated by the actions that an
artist takes to make something, and I want them to be an important part of how you
see and read the piece'. The work's rough, yet seductive, surface does exactly this.
It retains the numerous trowel strokes that shaped and defined the figure and each of
the artist's handprints as he patted down the form have been left indelibly evident. As
Houseago explained, this acknowledgement of the artistic process makes 'the creative
act accessible, showing anybody can make art if they have the will and desire.
For me,
that is the magic in sculpture'.
Born in Leeds, England, Thomas
Houseago's career has taken him
from England to the Netherlands, to
Belgium and finally to Los Angeles
CA, where he currently lives and
works. Houseago's sculptures
are on view at Inverleith House,
Edinburgh, Scotland as part of his
exhibition, 'The Beat of the Show
(Outdoor Sculpture)' until 21 June
2012. Houseago is preparing for two
outdoor sculpture projects for 'Art
in the City', Zurich, Switzerland and
in London, England, for Great St. Helen's and Undershaft Public Art Space. Both projects
will open in June 2012. Houseago will also have an exhibition at the Sainsbury Centre for
Visual Arts, Norwich, England, opening in July 2012.
Major solo exhibitions include 'What Went Down', which opened at Modern Art Oxford and
the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England in 2010 and travelled to Museum Abteiberg,
Mönchengladbach, Germany (2011), and The Centre International d'Art et du Paysage
de L'ile de Vassiviére, Vassivière, France (2011); 'Two Face', a two-person exhibition with
Aaron Curry at Ballroom Marfa, Marfa TX (2009); and 'Thomas Houseago, I am here,
Selected Sculpture 1995 – 2003', S.M.A.K. Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Ghent,
Belgium (2003).
Opening 2 april
Hauser & Wirth
196A Piccadilly London
Admission free