As featured in Unfolded Magazine Issue 13
"There is an inherent beauty in kinetic sculpture," says acclaimed
sculptor Simon Gudgeon, in comment of his latest series of
sculptures at the Halcyon Gallery. "For me it first came to mind
when I was in New Zealand watching a George Rickey sculpture. I
just found it mesmerising, the movement I think is what captivated
me about kinetic sculpture." Most sculptures are rigid forms; they
have a sense of permanence and solidarity, "Paintings are 2D,
sculpture 3D and kinetic sculpture engages more because it has that
movement, everyone is attracted to movement."
The new exhibition, is aptly named 'Transitions,' as "nothing is
permanent, everything is moving, we sort of plan our lives however
we are constantly adapting and changing. I remember watching a film
called Sliding Doors, which is all about that. Miss one train, have
to get on another and it changes your life through an unexpected
event. We've got to keep adapting."
"Making an object that is not essentially utilitarian defines
humanity." The concept of kinetic art could be first seen with the
Ancient Egyptians, in construction of the Great Pyramids, where
they made particular use of the lever and the inclined plane, to
aid in construction of the Great Pyramids. The 1950s saw an growing
emergence of the kinetic art and visionaries such as Alexander
Calder and George Rickey were largely responsible for the
popularity of the movement, which lasted through to the late 1970s.
The 21st century has seen a revival, with 'Transitions' seeming to
strike a captivating chord during such economic and social times of
change.
Gudgeon's work explores abstraction and form, sculpting primarily
in bronze, "my other work, like Isis is all cast using the lost wax
process or sand casting," for the kinetic sculpture however, "it's
just been working on a whole new series and methodology. These are
all fabricated by hand in my studio, which is why they are all
unique pieces. In casting, you tend to have editions, but with the
kinetic works, I learnt new skills like welding and soldering,
cutting metals, its fascinating as you get a whole new skill level
and it is very stimulating."
Born in Yorkshire in 1958, Gudgeon is now based in Pallington,
Dorset, running a studio workshop beside 'Sculptures by the lake.'
His background is also somewhat of a transition, after studying law
at Reading University, he practised as a solicitor, starting
painting only in his thirties and sculpting in his 40s. In
depicting the natural world, he says he finds sculpture "lies
closest to his heart," and there is "something magical about it."
The sculpture park, as with his work, continues to be an
evolutionary environment, as more works are added in situ. He is
widely known for his observations and sculptures based on the wild,
believing that "before you can sculpt a creature, you have to
understand it and where it comes from."
Extensively travelled, having been to America, Africa and beyond,
we ask how it impacts his work, "when you travel you see things,
different shapes and images. A whole raft of things. You are in a
much more receptive mood to when you are in a studio. You are away,
you can't create so you tend to absorb, work out ideas. When I come
back I often find myself more productive and fired up with ideas."
The creative process first happens in the mind, "an idea enters my
mind, be it a shape, a movement or an emotion and I simply want to
convey it."
The Fibonacci sculpture is striking to behold, inspired by
Fibonacci numbers and patterns in the universe, "I am fascinated by
the golden ratio, and proportions which we naturally find
attractive, primarily because they occur in nature." The Fibonacci
code are numbers in a sequence. The first two numbers are 0 and 1,
and each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two.
Gesturing at one section of the piece, ‘this here is a
Fibonacci spiral, which starts with a rectangle partitioned into 2
squares and then in each step we add to the rectangle's longest
side a square of the same length. We see the sequence in how
colonies breed, plants grow. It all links into nature and humanity
has a connection with it."
Although elements of the natural world are still highly pronounced,
their forms have now been acutely abstracted and many set in
motion. We see the leaf form in one sculpture, expressing the
changing nature and changing landscapes. In a piece entitled Venus,
Gudgeon tells us it is "based on two interlocking circles," the
vesica piscis or what is more commonly known as the "fish bladder".
The length-height ratio of the vesica piscis, as expressed by
Pythagoras is 153:265, a mystical number known as "the measure of
the fish" and is associated with the goddess Venus and biblical
stories.
The colours used in the works complement the shape, with each
bronze patination mixed separately. "The patination colour is
applied by heating up the metal with a gas blow torch and applying
chemicals. It is almost a corrosion on the exterior of the bronze
and the wax polish seals the patina." There is also a chemical
reaction that can occur with the environment, "you can bury a piece
in the garden for a couple of years and the acids in the soil will
colour it, but you have no control. Similarly if you don't keep the
wax polish on, it will change colour, oxidise with air. Bronze is
primarily copper, so you will get some green's that come through.
An outdoor piece needs maintenance, two of three times a
year."
There is a beauty and grace in Gudgeon's sculptures and we sense
that he is in awe of the natural world, perhaps also trying to make
sense of what defines our connection to it. I am drawn to one of
the more recently finished pieces, Pinus, which is based on a pine
tree shape. "I'm fascinated by gravity and how you get this all to
balance." Each branch section delicately balances on a point. It is
utterly mesmerising, and often fans are used to facilitate gentle
movements, allowing it to spin. "Everything is in flux, everything
is in motion. I was talking to a friend of mine who suffers from
bipolar disorder who was quite disturbed by it at first, however,
when he relaxed, he was transfixed and almost calmed in a way -
when you accept the movement and don't try to impose order, a
serenity emerges."
Interview and Portrait
Nardip Singh
Exhibition and sculpture images
supplied by Halcyon Gallery
Copyright © Simon Gudgeon
www.simongudgeon.com