Richard Wentworth
Encyclopedia
Richard Wentworth CBE
(born 1947) is a British artist, curator and teacher. He is Professor of Sculpture at The Royal College of Art, London.
—then a province of New Zealand
—in 1947. He studied art at Hornsey College of Art
in North London from 1965, and then at the Royal College of Art
where he was a contemporary of Bill Woodrow
and Tony Cragg
.
movement. Wentworth’s interest is the juxtaposition of materials and found elements that do not belong together. In the work Shower, Wentworth attached a small propeller to an ordinary table creating the impression that the furniture is about to take flight. Light Bulbs were a recurring element for their symbolism of the ‘eureka moment’ of conceptual breakthrough. For an installation at the Lisson Gallery
he created a flock of books suspended by wire from the gallery’s ceiling in 1995. For Art and Sacred Places
in Winchester Cathedral
he created 'Recall' which speculated how the structure of the Cathedral might have been supported during its construction. Wentworth is also interested in the bizarre coincidences of urban life that he documents in photographs. In April 2010 Wentworth participated in a major sculpture exhibition curated by Peter Kardia entitled "From Floor to Sky", alongside artists Roderick Coyne
and Alison Wilding
. The exhibition, held at Westminster University's P3 Galleries, included discussion forums at the 'From Floor to Sky' Tate Gallery debate and St Martin's School of Art (UAL).
and his influence has been claimed in the work of the Young British Artists
. He curated the exhibition Thinking Aloud at Kettle's Yard
that explored the creative process as well as the profligate nature of mass production and consumerism. From 2002 to 2010 Wentworth was 'Master of Drawing' at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford University and is currently the head of the Sculpture department at The Royal College of Art, London.
in County Durham
was the first public art
project to be funded by the National Lottery
.
Wentworth has lived for many years in the Kings Cross area of London and in 2002 he realised the project An Area of Outstanding Unnatural Beauty in which for three months he took over a plumbing supply shop in the area converting it into a base for visitors to explore and engage with the area.
In July 2009 he curated the Lisson Gallery's Summer show featuring a large number of works from his personal collection and that of Lisson director Nicholas Logsdail.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to art.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 1947) is a British artist, curator and teacher. He is Professor of Sculpture at The Royal College of Art, London.
Life and career
Wentworth was born in SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
—then a province of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
—in 1947. He studied art at Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art
Hornsey College of Art is a former college centred in Crouch End, London, England. Since 2008, the building has been a part of Coleridge Primary School, upon its expansion to four form entry...
in North London from 1965, and then at the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
where he was a contemporary of Bill Woodrow
Bill Woodrow
Bill Woodrow is a British sculptor.Woodrow was one of a number of British sculptors to emerge in the late 1970s, the others including Richard Deacon and Tony Cragg....
and Tony Cragg
Tony Cragg
Tony Cragg is a British visual artist specialized in sculpture. He is currently the director of the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.-Early life:Cragg was born in Liverpool in 1949...
.
New British Sculpture
Wentworth became identified with the New British SculptureNew British Sculpture
New British Sculpture is the name given to the work of a group of artists, sculptors and installation artists who began to exhibit together in London, England, in the early 1980s, including Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon and Richard Wentworth....
movement. Wentworth’s interest is the juxtaposition of materials and found elements that do not belong together. In the work Shower, Wentworth attached a small propeller to an ordinary table creating the impression that the furniture is about to take flight. Light Bulbs were a recurring element for their symbolism of the ‘eureka moment’ of conceptual breakthrough. For an installation at the Lisson Gallery
Lisson Gallery
The Lisson Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Bell Street, Lisson Grove, London, founded by Nicholas Logsdail in 1967. The gallery represents such artists as Ai Weiwei, John Latham, Sol LeWitt, Robert Mangold, Jonathan Monk, Julian Opie, Richard Wentworth and Turner Prize winners Anish Kapoor...
he created a flock of books suspended by wire from the gallery’s ceiling in 1995. For Art and Sacred Places
Art and Sacred Places
Art and Sacred Places is a UK-based national charity working in the field of commissioning visual art for sacred places. Its work includes both temporary and permanent commissions and projects which bring together communities of people from both faith and non-faith backgrounds.-Mission...
in Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral
Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of any Gothic cathedral in Europe...
he created 'Recall' which speculated how the structure of the Cathedral might have been supported during its construction. Wentworth is also interested in the bizarre coincidences of urban life that he documents in photographs. In April 2010 Wentworth participated in a major sculpture exhibition curated by Peter Kardia entitled "From Floor to Sky", alongside artists Roderick Coyne
Roderick Coyne
Roderick Coyne is an English artist, sculptor.- Education :Coyne studied at Folkestone School of Art , in the sculpture departments of St Martin’s School of Art and the ]] alongside Richard Wentworth, Alison Wilding, Ismail Saray...
and Alison Wilding
Alison Wilding
Alison Wilding RA is an English sculptor.-Biography:Born in Blackburn in Lancashire, Wilding studied at the Nottingham College of Art, the Ravensbourne College of Art and Design in Chislehurst and, from 1970 to 1973, the Royal College of Art in London...
. The exhibition, held at Westminster University's P3 Galleries, included discussion forums at the 'From Floor to Sky' Tate Gallery debate and St Martin's School of Art (UAL).
Academic career
Between 1971 and 1987 Wentworth taught at Goldsmiths CollegeGoldsmiths College
Goldsmiths, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom which specialises in the arts, humanities and social sciences, and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It was founded in 1891 as Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute...
and his influence has been claimed in the work of the Young British Artists
Young British Artists
Young British Artists or YBAs is the name given to a loose group of visual artists who first began to exhibit together in London, in 1988...
. He curated the exhibition Thinking Aloud at Kettle's Yard
Kettle's Yard
Kettle's Yard is an art gallery and house in Cambridge, England.- History and overview :Kettle's Yard was originally the Cambridge home of Jim Ede and his wife Helen. Moving to Cambridge in 1956, they converted four small cottages into one idiosyncratic house and a place to display Ede's collection...
that explored the creative process as well as the profligate nature of mass production and consumerism. From 2002 to 2010 Wentworth was 'Master of Drawing' at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, Oxford University and is currently the head of the Sculpture department at The Royal College of Art, London.
Exhibitions
In 1996 his Marking the Parish Boundaries along the River TeesRiver Tees
The River Tees is in Northern England. It rises on the eastern slope of Cross Fell in the North Pennines, and flows eastwards for 85 miles to reach the North Sea between Hartlepool and Redcar.-Geography:...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
was the first public art
Public art
The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that have been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the physical public domain, usually outside and accessible to all...
project to be funded by the National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
.
Wentworth has lived for many years in the Kings Cross area of London and in 2002 he realised the project An Area of Outstanding Unnatural Beauty in which for three months he took over a plumbing supply shop in the area converting it into a base for visitors to explore and engage with the area.
In July 2009 he curated the Lisson Gallery's Summer show featuring a large number of works from his personal collection and that of Lisson director Nicholas Logsdail.
Personal life
Richard Wentworth is married to Jane Wentworth, a strategic branding consultant who is a Director of Jane Wentworth Associates, a branding and brand-management company.He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to art.