David Kemp
Concepts Public art, large scale site specific sculpture in urban and rural sites often, post industrial, technological or environmental themes. Landmark sculptures, often reflecting aspects of their immediate locality in a variety of materials. Exploring the connections between technology and mythology. Assemblage sculpture, artefacts, icons, masks and god dollies. Fragments from a post-technological future, spurious museum pieces exhibited in cases as archaeology or ethnology or worn as masks and costume in landscape theatre. Reconstruction of spurious musical and scientific instruments, satirising changing attitudes to technology. Influences I am very interested in the connections between religion, mythology and technology and the enduring archetypes which have persisted throughout many cultures. Some of my work resembles archaeological or ethnological displays. I am very interested in the way that the past is constantly being re-interpreted and exploring the 'language of things'. My work is produced as a reaction and comment - often satirical, to the changing world around me, and as such is constantly changing. Recently I have built a series of large, humorous sculptures for the Eden Project in Cornwall based on the themes of plants and people. Career path Most of my work is produced in a reaction to the world about me. Large scale site specific work is usually a specific theme related to its site. My work changes as the materials society discards change. In the 809s the theme was mostly post-industrial, the millennium produced a series of large site specific sculptures sited and based on millennium projects.As a spurious archeologist I continue my explorations of the Anthropocene era, commenting on its potential threats to our continued existance on this olanet. I continue to look for opportunities to build large or small sculpture and create exhibitions that reflect, often with humour, the effects our rapidly growing technology is having on our lives and beliefs.
Solo exhibitions 2013 - The Tribe that held the Sky Up, New Millenium Gallery, St Ives Cornwall 2010 - THE BOTALLACK HOARD, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro Cornwall 2009 - "Uncertain Instruments"Apparatus from nearly parallel worlds?, The Customs House Gallery, South Shields 2003 - Uncertain Instruments, Greve Du Lecq, Jersey Sculpture Trust, Jersey 2003 - Uncertain Instruments, The Lowry, Salford, Manchester 2002 - Uncertain Instruments, Newlyn Art Gallery, Penzance, Cornwall 1999 - Hounds of Geevor, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro 1997 - Art of Darkness Museum, Botallack, St Ives International 1995 - Serious Hot Water, Tate Gallery, St Ives, Cornwall 1992 - Slaves to the Iron Horse, Rufford Country Park, Nottingham 1990 - The Tribe that Held the Sky Up, McLlellan Gallery, Glasgow City Art Galleries 1985 - Tailight Society, Manchester City Art Gallery 1985 - White Mans Magic, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield 1983 - Heavy Stuff, Plymouth Arts Centre 1983 - Immaculate Contraptions, Glyn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea 1983 - The Refuse Collection, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter Group exhibitions 2012 - British Surrealists, Falmouth Art Gallery, Falmouth Cornwall 1999 - Ghostnets, outdoor theatre and sculpture, collaboration with Kneehigh Theatre, Red River, Gwithian, Cornwall 1998 - Animal Magic, Edinburgh City Art Gallery, National Museum of Wales, touring 1997 - St Ives International Exhibition, St Ives, West Cornwall 1996 - Wheels of Fire, one hundred years of the automobile, Wolverhampton City Art Gallery 1995 - Newlyn Art Gallery Centenery Exhibtion, Newlyn, Cornwall 1994 - Secound Site, NCCA Durham touring exhibition 1981 - Fragments against Ruin, Arts Council Touring Exhibition Residencies 2007 - sparkling water plants, Broomhill Sculpture Park, Muddiford Devon Public commissions 2011 - Fish& Ships, Liverpool City Council, Coburg Wharf Merseyside Liverpool 2011 - The Iron Horse, Otterham CP School , Otterham School near Bude Cornwall 2008 - Murdoch Mosaics, Cornwall County Council, New Cut Opeway Redruth 2007 - The Tinners Hounds, Fore Street ,Tatty Square, Redruth Cornwall