Paul Vanstone
(British, b.1967)
Through a mixture of classical and contemporary techniques, British artist Paul Vanstone (b. 1967) subtly draws out the inherent flesh-like qualities of exotically sourced marble to create totemic heads and elegant, veined torsos. These works, often monumental in size, exude a sophisticated authority influenced by ancient sculpture, whilst simultaneously revealing a delicate myriad of colours on close inspection. Over the last twenty years the artist has created an exceptional body of work in various media, exploring the possibilities of figurative representation in exciting new ways.
The choice of material plays an integral role in the work of Paul Vanstone. For the last twenty years he has searched around the world for the beautiful marbles in which he sculpts. Having worked in Italy near the famous Carrara quarries, he has travelled to Rajasthan, India, and throughout Europe and the Middle East to source appropriate materials. Vanstone has inherited the millennia-old fascination with the possibilities of marble to depict the human form, and his work has branched out into several directions; in his studies of cloth, he creates forms purely through sculpted folds of marble. His figures are stripped back and minimal, suggesting the female body whilst retaining an abstract quality. Vanstone has also made a large number of marble and bronze heads, ranging in size and taking various influences from the art of the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Assyrians.
Following his MFA in Fine Art at the Royal College of Art, Paul Vanstone worked for five years as assistant to the leading British sculptor Anish Kapoor, refining the skills which today give his pieces their immaculate finish. His works have been shown in various prestigious institutions, including the British Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum, and in various sculpture gardens and galleries in London and beyond. He has also received several important awards and commissions, including the Darwin Scholarship and the Henry Moore Award, and has twice received the Lord and Lady Carrington Sculpture Garden Commission.
Exhibitions at Alon Zakaim Fine Art:
Origins, 5-7 Dover Street, 3 July - 16 August 2013
