Artist statement
Concepts
My sculpture is concerned with a diverse range of concepts and is made out of a variety of materials including wood, stone, bronze and paper. The content has ranged from an interest in transformation and change to its current involvement with aspects of theoretical physics. The scale ranges from smaller pieces to large scale public sculptures. Some of the ideas require a subtractive sculptural process involving direct stone and wood carving while others involve additive constructional processess using laminated ash veneer and paper pulp. The spirit of scientific enquiry in the work resulted in its inclusion in 'Beyond Ourselves' one of the first Arts Council funded contemporary art exhibitions held at the centre of scientific debate, The Royal Society. I agree with the physicist Richard Feynman when he refers to the inadequacy of science to capture the marvel of our universe and for the need for art to help bridge the gap between the tangible and the intangible.
Influences
Ancient Egyptian art, extensive research carried out in Egypt; construction of functional objects eg furniture, scientific models; relativity and quantum physics; string theory; astronomy.
Career path
Undergraduate at Cheltenham, Postgraduate at the Slade. Cardiff Sculpture Fellow. Churchill Travelling Fellow. Academician of the RWA. Fellow of the RBS. Awards and bursaries:The Arts Council England, South West Arts, Welsh Arts Council and various University Research Awards. 2007 Winner of the RWA Sculpture Exhibition. 2007 Prize winner, Millfield. Visiting Lecturer at several institutions including the Royal Academy Schools. Collections: The Arts Council England; Acerman Foundation, New York; McDermott Collection, Dallas, Texas; Dame Stephanie Shirley; Priors Court School; The Met Office, Exeter; University of Leicester; Sandwell Council; Robert Redford collection, Sundance, Utah, USA; SPP Foundation, Washington State, USA; The Royal West of England Academy.
Current and forthcoming events
- March - July 2013: Earth, Air, Fire & Water - Somerset artists in their element., Museum of Somerset, Taunton (more info)
- March - June 2013: 'Drawn 2013', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol (more info)
Qualifications and training
- 1973 H.Dip.FA(Lond), The Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London.
- 1971 BA(Hons), Gloucestershire College of Art & Design, Cheltenham
Solo exhibitions
- 2003 'Parallel Universe', Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- 2001 'Chris Dunseath Other Dimensions', The Phillips Gallery, Brewhouse, Taunton, Somerset
- 1998 'Chris Dunseath, Space, Mass and Time', Priory Studio, Hinton St George
- 1997 Five Weeks, Four Artsists, Three Dimensions, Woodlands Art Gallery, Blackheath, London (four solo exhibitions)
- 1997 Chris Dunseath, The Sculpture Company, The Royal Society of British Sculptors, London
- 1990 Mandy Havers and Chris Dunseath, Whitefriars Museum, Coventry
- 1985 Chris Dunseath, The New Art Centre, Sloane Street, London
- 1978 Ibis Gallery, Leamington Spa
- 1978 Prescote Gallery, Oxfordshire
- 1978 Parnham House, Dorset
- 1974 Oriel Gallery, Cardiff
Group exhibitions
- 2013 'Earth, Air, Fire & Water - Somerset artists in their element.', The Museum of Somerset, Taunton, Somerset
- 2013 'Drawn 2013', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2012 '160th Autumn Exhibition', The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2012 'The Plough Arts Centre Open Drawing Competion 2012', The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington, Devon.
- 2012 'The Ludlow Open', Millichope Gallery, Ludlow College, Ludlow, Shropshire
- 2012 'International Exhibition of Wood Sculpture', Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum, Sanyi, Miaoli County, Taiwan
- 2012 'Black Swan Open', Black Swan Arts, Frome, Somerset
- 2011 'Crafted for Christmas', New Brewery Arts, Cirencester
- 2011 '159th Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2011 'Metamorphosis', Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2011 'Beyond Ourselves', The Royal Society, Carlton House Terrace, London
- 2011 'Magnitude Nine', Blackall Studios, Shoreditch, London.
- 2011 'Open Photography 2', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2010 'Beyond Ourselves' a British Art Show 7 Sideshow event, Lace Market Gallery, Nottingham
- 2010 '158 Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2010 'Near and Far', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2010 'At Nature's Font', Central Gallery, Malvern
- 2010 'The Affordable Art Fair Paris', La Halle Freyssinet, Paris
- 2010 'Celebrating Paper', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2009 'The London Group Open Exhibition 2009 Part 2', The Menier Gallery, Southwark Street, London.
- 2009 'RWA 157th Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2009 'Babel', Blackall Studios, Shoreditch, London
- 2009 '18@108 Paper', Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2009 'Millfield Summer Show', Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Street, Somerset
- 2009 New Brewery Arts Open 'Crossings', New Brewery Arts, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
- 2009 'The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2009', Royal Academy of Arts, London
- 2009 'The Cannon/Bullock Paper Works Invitational', Museo Gallery, Langley (Seattle) USA
- 2008 'Marshwood Vale Arts Awards Exhibition', Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport, Dorset
- 2008 '156th Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2008 'Art London', Royal Chelsea Hospital, London
- 2008 'Chris Dunseath & Jenny Dunseath', Somerset Art Weeks, The Priory, Hinton St George, Somerset.
- 2008 '20th Summer Show', Atkinson Gallery,, Millfield, Somerset.
- 2008 'Night, A Time Between.', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2008 'Open Arts Competition', Black Swan Arts, Frome
- 2007 'The Discerning Eye', The Mall Galleries, London
- 2007 '155 Autumn Exhibition', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2007 'Spectrum', Abbey House Gardens, Malmsbury, Wiltshire.
- 2007 '19th Summer Show', Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Street, Somerset
- 2007 18@108 Sculptors on Sculpture, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2007 'On Show at 108', Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2007 'Open Sculpture Exhibition 2007', Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2006 'RBS Sculptors', Rollo Contemporary Art, Islington, London
- 2006 'Full Spectrum, Colour + Chemistry', Sherborne House, Sherborne, Dorset
- 2006 'Elemental Insight', Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
- 2006 'Open Arts Competition', Black Swan Arts, Frome, Somerset
- 2006 Sculpture by Council Members, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2006 'Elemental Insight', The Park Gallery, Falkirk, Scotland
- 2005 'The Artist & Radio 4, Sound & Vision', Bankside Gallery, London
- 2005 'Inside Annual', Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2005 '5D', Town Mill Gallery, Lyme Regis, Dorset
- 2005 'Pulputations', Artworks-mk, Milton Keynes
- 2005 'Sensing Sculpture', Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton
- 2005 'Elemental Insight', Derby Art Gallery, Derby
- 2005 'Elemental Insight', Canterbury Art Gallery, Kent
- 2005 'Elemental Insight', Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, Devon
- 2005 'Elemental Insight', Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset
- 2005 'Elemental Insight', Black Swan Arts, Frome, Somerset
- 2004 Elemental Insight, Met Office, Exeter; The Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey
- 2004 RBS Annual Exhibition, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 2004 Sculpture in the Garden, University of Leicester, Leicester
- 2004 Pulped, Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Honiton
- 2004 The Discerning Eye, The Mall Galleries, London
- 2003 Sensing Sculpture, Wolverhampton Museum and Art Gallery
- 2003 Fresh Air 2003, Quenington Sculpture Trust, Gloucestershire
- 2003 Open Sculpture, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2003 Selected Selectors, Sherborne Contemporary Arts, Sherborne, Dorset
- 2002 Midlands Sculpture Trail, RHS Horticultural Show, Worcestershire
- 2002 Sculpture at Cotechele, St Dominick, Cornwall
- 2002 Chris Dunseath, Clair Burke and Naoka Takata, Broomhill, Devon
- 2001 Sculptures at Broomhill 2001, Broomhill, Barnstaple, Devon
- 2001 Millfield Summer Show, Millfield, Somerset
- 2001 Annual Summer Exhibition, Royal Society of British Sculptors, London
- 2001 Art/Craft/Science and Technology Exhibition, Oriel Myrddin, Carmatthen
- 2000 Earthly Pleasures, 20th Century Sculpture from the Arts Council Collection, Art Gallery and Museum, Leamington Spa
- 2000 With the Body in Mind, Richard Attenborough Centre, Leicester
- 2000 Inside Out, Flow Gallery, London
- 2000 The Basket Show, Oxford Gallery, Oxford
- 2000 In Focus Baskets, Sotheby's Grosvenor Gallery, London
- 2000 RBS Annual Exhibition2000, Dora House, London
- 2000 The Hannah Pershar Sculpture Garden, Surrey
- 2000 Contemporary International Basketmaking, Cartwright Hall, Bradford; Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead; Warrington Art Gallery
- 1999 Children, Beatrice Royal, Eastleigh, Hampshire
- 1999 Triennial Sculpture Exhibition, RWA, Bristol
- 1999 Taunton Open Drawing 99, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Taunton
- 1999 Contemporary International Basketmaking, Whitworth Gallery Manchester, Crafts Council Gallery London, touring nationally
- 1998 The Art of Portrait Sculpture, Cork Street, London
- 1998 XXth Century Sculpture, Part One and Two, Millfield, Somerset
- 1997 Portrait Sculpture Revived, Cork Street, London
- 1997 Ploughing the Bright Field, Create Centre, Bristol
- 1996 Millfield Summer Show, Millfield, Somerset
- 1996 Logos Second National Art Competition, Finalists Summer Show, Bloomsbury, London
- 1996 Coventry Porto Art Exchange, Faculdada de Belas Artes do Porto
- 1996 Cheltenham Open Drawing 1996, Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education
- 1996 RWA Open Sculpture Exhibition, Bristol
- 1995 Tower Bridge Piazza Sculpture Exp '95, Butlers Wharf, London
- 1995 Small Works, Gallery Differentiate, Tower Bridge Piazza, London
- 1995 Sculpture in the Garden, Third Biennial Exhibition, Deans Court, Dorset
- 1995 Unrealisable Sculpture, The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds
Curated projects
- 2012 Selection panel member Autumn Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2010 Selection panel member RWA Autumn Exhibition, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2002 Selector with Richard Cork & Prof. Glyn Williams for Annual Exhibition, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
Artist talks
- 2011 Metamorphosis Panel Discussion chaired by Dr Rod Mengham, curator Jesus College Cambridge, Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
Residencies
- 2003 'Artist in Residence', Appledore Arts Festival, Appledore, Devon
Projects
- 2008 'World Beach Project', Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Competitions, prizes and awards
- 2010 Elected Academician, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2009 The Cannon/Bullock Purchase Award, SPP Foundation, Washington State USA
- 2009 SPP Foundation Host Committee Purchase Award, SPP Foundation, Washington State USA
- 2008 Winner of The Marshwood Vale Magazine Arts Awards, Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport
- 2007 'Prize Winner', 19th Summer Show, Atkinson Gallery, Millfield.
- 2007 'Reflections Award for Design Innovation', Open Sculpture, Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
- 2001 Fellow of The Royal British Society of Sculptors, The Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
- 1992 The Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship for Sculpture, Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Egypt
- 1973 Sculpture Fellowship, Cardiff College of Art and Design, Cardiff
Site specific
- 2003 'Appledore Wormhole', Appledore Arts Festival, Appledore, Devon.
Publications
- 2012 'International Exhibition of Wood Sculpture', Sanyi Wood Sculpture Museum, Taiwan.
- 2011 ‘The Times, Eureka, Issue 21’ Beyond Ourselves review p 53-54.
- 2011 ‘Beyond Ourselves’ The Royal Society, Catalogue.
- 2009 ‘The London Group Open Exhibition 2009’ Catalogue (front cover) & p.16.
- 2009 [a-n] Magazine p. 33.
- 2009 ‘Paper Works Invitational’, Catalogue. SPP Foundation, Washington State USA.
- 2008 ‘Yorkshire Sculpture Park – Landscape for Art’ by Lynne Green. P.77. YSP.
- 2008 [a-n] Magazine p. 9.
- 2007 'ING Discerning Eye' Catalogue, Mall Galleries.
- 2006 'Full Spectrum, Colour+Chemistry', Catalogue, Sherborne House, Dorset.
- 2005 'Evolver', Front Cover.
- 2004 'Elemental Insight', Catalogue, The Met Office.
- 2002 'The Art of Priors Court School', by Ann Elliott.
Web links - gallery/work/projects
