Richard Wentworth (artist)

Richard Wentworth CBE (born 1947) is a British artist, curator and teacher. He was Professor of Sculpture at The Royal College of Art, London from 2009–11.

Life and career

Wentworth was born in Samoa—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. In August 2014, Wentworth was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.^[1]

New British Sculpture

Siege, 1983–1984, Tate Modern

Wentworth became identified with the New British Sculpture 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. 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.

Academic career

Between 1971 and 1987, Wentworth taught at Goldsmiths College 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 was the head of the Sculpture department at The Royal College of Art, London, for one year.

Exhibitions

In 1996, his Marking the Parish Boundaries along the River Tees in County Durham was the first public art project to be funded by the National Lottery.

In 2000, together with Fischli & Weiss and Gabriel Orozco he worked in "Aprendiendo menos" (learning less), curated by Patricia Martín and presented in Centro de la Imagen, Mexico city.^[2] Three different perspectives through photography, where the artists are a means to portray street findings within the urban landscape, its surroundings and its objects.

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.^[3]

Honours

Wentworth was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to art.^[4]

References and notes

External links

• Lisson Gallery: Richard Wentworth
• Tate: Richard Wentworth
• Tate Liverpool: Richard Wentworth
• BBC audio interview (02/2006)
• Interview (Spring/1999)
• Interview (04/1997)