Since leaving the RCA in London, where Henry Moore personally funded Atkin, he has exhibited his work worldwide. Recent publications on Atkins’ output focus on the notion of “industrial archaeology” and the use of the past within the contemporary landscape. These publications include The Navigator ISBN 0-906688-40-X; Scorched Earth ISBN 1-900856-41-7; Distant Voices ISBN 1-900856-30-1;
Since leaving the RCA in London, where Henry Moore personally funded Atkin, he has exhibited his work worldwide. Recent publications on Atkins’ output focus on the notion of “industrial archaeology” and the use of the past within the contemporary landscape. These publications include The Navigator ISBN 0-906688-40-X; Scorched Earth ISBN 1-900856-41-7; Distant Voices ISBN 1-900856-30-1; Cut, ISBN1-901560 -65 -1; The Made and The Unmade ISBN 0-9704605-0-3. His work has been the subject of widespread media interest and editorials that focus on his work in public spaces, here in the UK and overseas. In recent years, Atkin has been invited to present the keynote paper at the Sculpture by the Sea Symposium at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, Australia. He also exhibited a new, major sculpture, at the Sculpture by the Sea, capitalizing on earlier exhibitions at MOMA @ Heide, Melbourne: and Rex Irwin Gallery, Sydney: simultaneously exhibiting at Soho Galleries, Sydney. An example of his current work, entitled Strange Meeting, has been commissioned by Beijing Municipal Government, to celebrate the cultural emphasis of the Olympics ” One World One Dream” ethos in Olympic Park, Beijing. This 27-ton marble & granite artwork forms part of an exhibition of twenty-six artists selected from a global application of 2600 people. Atkins’ research interest lies in the interaction of people with artworks that change a space into a place. In this way the community secures a landmark for the area and a meeting point for all generations and cultures. He is currently completing a series of innovative artworks for Kent County Council, where he is Lead Artist for their ground breaking Breaking Boundaries “shared space” highways project. This entails working alongside Landscape Architects and Engineers to complete a range of highway structures, (such as roundabouts, terracing and street furniture), that reflect on Ashford’s cultural heritage within a contemporary context. His current project in California focuses on the regeneration of the Fillmore District of San Francisco and collaborating with AXIS Architects on delivering a coherent public realm that addresses the locales indelible heritage as the home of West Coast Jazz. The social legacy of this project has been fraught with decades of County Hall misplaced redevelopment that has fractured a once vibrant community famed for it ethnic mix and social inclusion. Atkins’ involvement in this landmark project involves the delivery of a signature sculpture that will act as a beacon for the areas regeneration. In addition, he has been asked to develop the new plaza space into a seating plan hat includes bespoke street furniture that encourages the community to use the space as a meeting place and thereby foster economic growth. In time the plan is to roll-out his vision for the district into a series of interactive spaces that include various examples of street furniture that add to the unique nature of the space and the historic vernacular of the street.
Public Art
2016. The Crackers: Large-scale stainless steel public artwork and seating designs for Corby Borough Council
2016. Sacred Light (Working title) Design proposals for landmark sculpture: Suzhou Sports Centre: Suzhou: China
2015. The Silk Road: (Excellent Award) Production of large scale stainless steel sculpture: International Sculpture Exhibition, Fuzhou, China
2015. Concrete Innovation: Arts & Science collaboration: Design School, Loughborough University. The National Centre for Craft and Design, Sleaford: Lincolnshire
2014. Access to Justice (Development Phase) McMurty Gardens of Justice: Toronto Canada
Wheels of Time: Unlocking Stourport’s Heritage: Stourport: UK
Planning Suzhou: Expert Panel member: Suzhou: China (inc. Laurent Le Bon (Pompidou Centre Paris): Didier Schulman (Pompidou Centre Paris): Jay A Levenson (MOMA NYC)
Public Art
2014. Public Art Planning: Committee of Experts: including Laurent Le Bon (Pompidou Centre Paris): Didier Schulman (Pompidou Centre Paris): Jay A Levenson (MOMA NYC) Suzhou Centre: Suzhou: China
2013. Searchlight Beacons: London Southend Airport strategic link. Delivery phase
Powerhouse. Bull Inn Court. Site-specific artwork: Covent Garden, London
Wheels of Time: Urban regeneration & public art project: Phase 1: Wuxi: China
Exhibitions
2015. Sneaker Tide: Mixed Media: Haining “Tide Wonders” 2016 The First International Sculpture Exhibition: Jin Yong Academy: Haining City, Zhejiang Province: China
2014. Twister*2. Aluminium. Museu Nacional Scienca –Politecnica Lisboa Portugal
2014. 67 67 Drawbridge: 8 works on paper: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts: Singapore
2014. Made in England: Jinji Lake Art Museum: Suzhou: China
2013. Warriors. Kouros Gallery. Ridgefield. CT. USA
2013. Qu Art. China Suzhou Cultural & Creative Design Industry Fair: China
2013. Creative Cities. Two-city exhibition. London/Beijing. Beijing Art Museum: China
2013. Twister. Dialogue with Emperor Qin. Dalian Zhongshan Art Museum. China.
2013. Twister. Dialogue with Emperor Qin. Talinn Art Museum. Talinn: Estonia.
Awards
2015. The Silk Road: (Excellent Award) Public Art version, Fuzhou, China
2013. Qu Art. Major Award. Suzhou Cultural & Creative Design Industry Fair: China
2012. EPSRC Bridging the Gaps. PI. Arts & Sciences Award: Loughborough University
Exhibitions
2012. Heads Up. Sculpturesite/A New Leaf Gallery, Sonoma, California, USA
2012. The Art of Sport. Guildford Cathedral. Surrey. London
2012. Precious Light-City of God. (With Dave Mach) Galway Arts Centre: Ireland
2012. Creative Cities. Two-city exhibition. London Beijing, The Barbican Arts Centre
2012. Shaanxi Provincial Art Museum. Dialogue with Emperor Qin's Warriors. China
2012. Heilongjiang Art Museum. Dialogue with Emperor Qin's Warriors. China
Conferences & Symposiums
2012. Intrigue, uncertainty and humour. Why work in an Integrated Design Team? Breaking Boundaries Seminar. Loughborough University
Public Art
2011. The Road Not Taken. Ordos City. Ordos City International Sculpture Park. China
Arcs. 12th Changchun International Symposium: Speaker & Publication: Changchun: China
Exhibitions
2011. Precious Light-City of God. (With Dave Mach) Edinburgh City Art Gallery
2011. Blue Symphony. NanDaiHe. Beijing. China
2011. The 3rd China Changchun World Sculpture Symposium exhibition. China
2011. Qu Art. Belgium. UK Representative. Inspiring Culture
Dialogue with the Emperor Qin’s Warriors. Touring exhibition 2011 to 2013
Conferences & Symposiums 2011
Awards
2011. Honorary Fellowship, National Academy of Sculpture, Beijing, China
2011. Bridging the Gaps. EPSRC funding award for Interdisciplinary practice
2011. Nanjing Youth Olympic Game Sculpture Planning Committee. Nanjing. China
2011. Lead Artist-Kent County Council. Delivery of public realm furniture designs
2011. Heritage Lottery Fund award. Kingston Aviation Centenary Project
Public Art
2010. Breaking Boundaries. Lead Artist. Kent County Council: Ashford, Kent. UK
http://www.johnatkin.net/ashford.php
The Clothier. Public Art commission: Friends of the New Walk: Leicester, UK
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2359861
Exhibitions
2010. Pendulum Relief’s. Los Angeles Art Fair, Sculpturesite Gallery San Francisco
Iron Rations. Abstracts from the Collection: Mildura Arts Centre, Vic. Australia
Awards
Ringing the Changes. Winner. Town Regeneration. The RTPI Planning Awards: Ashford Ring Road project, Kent County Council
Conferences
2010. The 16th China Sculpture Forum. DIAOSU- National Sculpture Magazine of China: Sculpture & Communication: The Public in Art conference paper
2009. Public Art
Lead Artist-Kent County Council. Lead Artist. Kent County Council Notaroundabout Highways feature. Corten & stainless steel, Breccia paving
http://www.johnatkin.net/ashford.php
Awards
The Academy of Urbanism: Elected member
Trustee and Committee Member: Royal Society of British Sculptors: London
Marshalls Award for Public Realm: Breaking Boundaries, Ashford. UK
Landscape Institute Awards: awarded “Local landscape Planning Award” highly commended.
Sustain Magazine Awards: awarded winner in the “Best Public Realm” category.
The IHT Awards 2009: Highly commended in the Urban Design category.
The Rouse Kent Public Art Award: Highly commended for ‘Breaking Boundaries’
The Regeneration and Renewal Awards 2009: Highly Commended in category “Award for the Best Designed Regeneration Development” and Winner in category “Local Authority Regeneration Team of the Year”.
The RTPI Planning Awards 2009: Submitted in the category “Town Regeneration”. Short-listed for both in National and Regional Awards
The ICE 2009 Engineering Awards (the Brassey Award - Winner in Innovation Category
The British Construction Industry Awards 2009: Short-listed for Prime Minister’s Better Building Award.
The LGN Street Design Awards 2009: Winner in Street Design Ashford Borough Council Building Design Awards 2009 – Short-listed in Public Realm Category
Worshipful Company of Paviours: Winner, Elwick Square
2009. Conferences
2009. Understanding the Post Industrial City: Metropolis, Urban Renewal and Public Space, a joint research exchange programme on post-industrial urbanism between the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the Technical University Lisbon, Portugal
2008 Public Art
Hard Bop. Public Art: Commissioned by Sculpturesite Gallery on behalf of LARAMAR Inc. Fillmore Plaza, San Francisco.
Strange Meeting. Marble and Granite: Commissioned by Beijing Municipal Council for Olympic Park: Beijing.
Public Art for Beijing Olympics - City Sculpture Proposals. Sculpture
Competition and exhibition: Beijing China. ISBN 7-5074-1794-8. The Organizing Committee of 2008 Olympic Landscape Sculpture Designs Contest.
Pluto. Corten and stainless steel: Two-part sculpture, commissioned by Wilson Bowden for the historic Phoenix Parkway site: CORUS, steel works: Corby
Lead Artist-Kent County Council. Member Champions Group
Shared-space Highway scheme: Collaboration, Jacobs (Highway Engineers) and Whitelaw Turkington, (Landscape Architects), Ashford
Exhibition Publications
The Big Idea: Solo exhibition. Albemarle Gallery. London: ISBN
Hard Bop. Film preview: Lush Life Gallery: San Francisco. San Francisco.
Awards
Honor Certificate. Strange Meeting. Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture, China
Outstanding Award. Strange Meeting. Chinese Sculpture Institute. China
Sculpturesite Award. (San Francisco). Public art and the public realm
2007 Public Art &
The Clicker. Bronze. Commissioned by The Friends of the New Walk
By Hook or by Crook: Public Art Commission: Corten steel and stainless steel concrete, oak and slate: Wexford, Ireland Commissioned by Tesco Ireland. Collaboration with Murray & Associates: Landscape Architects; Johnstown Museum, Wexford Ireland.
Plumb Bob. Bronze: stainless steel. Goyne Adams Architects: PRC Architects:
Land Registry Building, Bedford Park, Croydon.
Lead Artist-Kent County Council. Member Champions Group.
Kingston Design Review Panel; Invited member. Royal Borough of K.O.T. London
Olympic Landscape Sculpture Designs Contest Exhibition; Exhibitions Venue:
Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition Centre; Group exhibition
Exhibitions
The Imagined and the Real. Group exhibition. Invited artist. Cartwright Hall. Lister
Hall. Bradford.
Sculpture by the Sea: Selected artist. Group exhibition: Sydney, Australia
Awards
2007. Landscape Institute Award. London. Urban Design & street furniture: Breaking
Boundaries: Ashford: collaboration; Whitelaw Turkington, (Landscape Architects)
Olympic Landscape Sculpture Designs Contest for 2008
Outstanding Award. The Organizing Committee of 2008 Olympic Landscape
Sculpture Designs Contest. Beijing. China.
Rootstein Hopkins Sabbatical Leave Award (Drawing) 2007 to 2008
Elected Fellow (Peer assessment), Royal British Society of Sculptors, London
2006 Public Art
Pound Mill; redevelopment of historical location: “Meeting of the “Two Rivers”: Staines:
Breaking Boundaries. Lead Artist 2006 -2010: appointed by Kent County Council. Collaboration with Whitelaw Turkington (Landscape Architects) and Jacobs (Highway Engineers) on urban regeneration project in Ashford Kent
Exhibitions
Landing Gear. Drawings and Sculptures: The Gallery. RBS. London.
Cass Sculpture Foundation: The London Information Centre & Gallery. UK
Awards Conferences & Symposiums
Study Leave Award: Research, urban - regeneration: a fresh role of public art; Drawing into digital media, collage, and papier-colle. Loughborough University. UK.
Landing Gear. RBS, London. South Kensington, London
2005 Public Art
NZ323135. Corten & stainless steel: Commissioned by Arts Council North on behalf of City & Northern (Developers) for Morton Palms Business Park, Teesside.
Bowes Moor. Wall-based sculpture. Systems Engineering Innovation Centre: Loughborough.
Conferences
The Great Artistic Metropolis: Oxford House, London. Landor: Architecture Journal
Sculpture & Design: Symposium. Faculty of Arts & Architecture, University of
Brighton: Plenary panel member and exhibitor. Supported by the Henry Moore Foundation. University of Brighton
Exhibition Publications
The Affordable Art Fair. SOHO Galleries, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia
Vernissage. Inaugural exhibition. Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco, USA
2004 Public Art & Urban Regeneration
Dal Fabrro’s Chariot: Corten & stainless steel sculpture: Beetham Towers,
Liverpool. Tate Liverpool’s audit of Public Sculpture, City of Culture 2008
Commissioned by Beetham Organisation: Aedus Architects LTD: Liverpool.
Exhibition Publications
From Another Dimension-Works on Paper by Sculptors: Major survey exhibition: sculptor’s drawings. Internationally invited artist. Department of Prints & Drawings, NOMA: USA
American & International Permanent Collection exhibition: NOMA, New
Orleans. One wall-based “pendulum relief” sculpture, Bowes Moor.
Sentinel. Corten & stainless steel: Invited International Artist: Sculpture by the Sea: Sydney. Australia.
The Klansman. Steel and glass sculpture: EMAAR. Burgh Dubai, Dubai, U.A.E
Selected Bibliography
The British Council: John Atkin in China
http://www.britishcouncil.org/zh/china-arts-visualart-jac
http://www.britishcouncil.org/zh/china-arts-events.htm
Blue Symphony: 258 pages colour. John Atkin-Landing Gear pages 242-245. CPC Funding
County Party Committee & County Government: NanDaiHe Tourism Development Co Ltd NanDaiHe Sculpture Park. China
Precious Light- City of God. Edinburgh City Art Gallery. Revolution Editions. ISBN. 97809-542-436-23. 80 pages colour. Pages 25-26
Sculpturing Brilliance: “Public Art & Public Space”: 210-242 (English/Chinese): 375 pages. Publisher, Changchun Publishing House: ISBN. 978-7-5445-0632-8. Launched: Third, World Sculpture Conference, Changchun: September 2011
John Atkin. Sculpture Journal. Sculpture that declares the space around it: by Robert Morgan. ISSN: Pages 50 to 54
Gathering Dreams 100: Beijing Olympic Sculptures Collection. Culture & Art Publishing House, China. ISBN: Gathering Dreams 100: Beijing Olympic Sculptures Documentary Culture & Art Publishing House, China. ISBN978-7-5039-3608-1/J.979
Art & Architecture Journal: Number 66/67 Autumn 2008. ISSN 1360-3256. Page 85
http://www.rudi.net/node/20901
BBC Articles
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7544159.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7543272.stm
British Council article
http://www.britishcouncil.org/china-artsandculture-visualarts-ja.htm
AXIS article
http://www.axisweb.org/atATCL.aspx?AID=2128
Artists & Illustrator Journal: First out of the blocks by Carol Cordrey. Issue 265. Page 11-12 Sculpture Journal. ISSN: 74851 64837, The Sculpture Olympics 2008 by Zhu Yilang. Pages 54-55.Vol.27. No. 9
http://www.fountainsoc.org.uk/fountain/68
Hard Bop. City Arts, 7X7 magazine. Page 135. San Francisco.
Hard Bop. News article. Interview with Don Sanchez, ABC 7. San Francisco.
Hard Bop. Review of public art and regeneration project. San Francisco Chronicle
Hard Bop. Fillmore Center Plaza. ISBN 1 900856 76 X
Public Art for Beijing Olympics- City Sculpture Proposals. p 89 (The Competitor) page 134 (Strange Meeting) ISBN 7-5074-1794-8
Art & Architecture Journal: Commissions & Projects; Pound Mill, Staines, page 57
Commissions in the North East of England, 2003-2007, by Arts Council England, part financed by the European Union, European Regional Development Fund and One North East. Section 12, Tees Valley, featured article on NZ323135, Morton palms Public Artwork by John Atkin
Green Place Journal: May 2006. ISSN 1742-3716. Page nos. 2: Land Use article, News. Pound Mill public sculpture commission review. ISSN. Author Sutherland Lyall
Art & Architecture Journal: Page 56. Number 63 Autumn 2005: ISSN 1360-3256 Commissions: Review NZ323135 (Public Sculpture)
Arts Monthly San Francisco: Volume 15. Issue 9. Page 7. Review of group exhibition at Sculpturesite Gallery, San Francisco
Art & Architecture Journal: Number 61. ISSN No. 1360-3256. February 2005. Public Art-Urbanism-Architecture. Missions & Projects: Review of Dal Fabrro’s Chariot, Liverpool
A-N Magazine. June 2004. ISNN No. 9-770261-342034: Review. Man and Machine. Review of exhibition, Chappel Galleries, Colchester
Arts Quarterly: New Orleans Museum of Art, Volume XXVI Issue 2. From Another Dimension, Works on Paper, by Daniel Piersol: New Orleans Museum of Art: USA
The Architects Journal: 26/06/03. ISSN. 0003 8466. Metal Works Corten: Under the Weather: by Sutherland Lyall. The Navigator, Ipswich is a featured artwork
"The Navigator": Navigation News, ISSN 0268 6317. Review of public sculpture by John Atkin
Art & Architecture Journal: No 59.ISSN 1360-3256: Page 48. Review of two new sculptures: The Navigator public artwork and The Signaler public artwork.
Galleries. May 2003. Tim Fargher, "John Atkin", Galleries, May Issue 241 ISSN 0265-7511 Review of exhibition at Christchurch Mansion Museum, Ipswich
Thinking Big - Concepts for Twenty First Century British Sculpture. Introduction by Thomas Krens Director, Soloman R Guggenheim Foundation: Essay, 'Thinking Big' by Tim Marlowe, Broadcaster and Creative Director for Sculpture at Goodwood. ISBN 09537794-3-2
Sculpture Magazine. Vol 21. No 7. Published by International Sculpture Center.
Scorched Earth. Review of exhibition at Philadelphia Art Alliance: Philadelphia PA.
Sculpture Magazine. Forum. Issue 8. Vol. 20 page 7 October 2001. ISSN 08989-728X Public Art Competitions in Sculpture Education. John Atkin in conversation with Carol Sterling ISC Officer.
Review. February 2001, Volume 3, No. 4 Published at 1427 W. Ninth St. Suite 203, Kansas City Missouri 64101: USA. John Atkin
The Made and the Unmade by Leesa Fanning. Review of solo exhibition at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, Kansas City
The Kansas City Star: Preview/Art. Friday January 19th. The Show. A Kinder, gentler side to British Art… Review of solo exhibition at Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art
Student Education history (selected)
1982-1985 Henry Moore Scholarship: MA Sculpture Royal College of Art. London
1985-1986 Picker Fellowship in Sculpture: Kingston University. London (one year)
1988-1989 Australia Council & British Council Major Award Victoria College,
Melbourne Australia. Lecture Tour to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide & Perth.
