Benedict Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Benedict Carpenter (born 1975) is a British
sculptor and artist based in the West Midlands
.
He works in traditional materials such as bronze
, mild steel, as well as more modern substances such as polyurethane
foam, bread, rubber and spray paint.
; the University of Gloucestershire
, where he was taught by James Castle
; Chelsea College of Art; and the Royal College of Art
in London.
In 2001, Benedict was awarded the Jerwood Sculpture
prize for his sculpture "Universal Object"; in 2005 his work was exhibited as part of Swansong, an installation curated by the Centre of Attention
, and shown at the Venice Biennale
; and in the same year, "40,000 Years of Modern Art", a public sculpture, was unveiled at Manhattan Gate in Middlesbrough
, UK. The maquette for this work is shown to the right.
In 2006, he was appointed a Senior Lecturer in Architecture, Art and Design at the University of East London
; and since January 2008, he has been a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art (Sculpture) at the University of Wolverhampton
.
"... Carpenter would never want his sculpture to be pinned down to one meaning. His proposal for the grounds of Witley Court follow on from work that he displayed at the Jerwood Space
two years ago. Based on Rorschach tests, the celebrated ink-blots that triggered a naming process in psychological experiments, they made Carpenter view his work for Witley Court as a 'blank canvas, on which viewers can project their own interpretations.'", the purpose of this being to stimulate a "fertile uncertainty in the onlooker's mind", that will not allow the sculpture "to settle into a stable identity".1
More recently, he has been working with open forms constructed in mild steel, the first of which was made in 2009 and is sited in Candas in Asturias, Spain. Another was commissioned by the Jerwood Foundation, and is currently on loan to Oakham School
, Rutland. Both of these forms, titled 'Net Form' and 'Pod' respectively, carry biomorphic resonances.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sculptor and artist based in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
.
He works in traditional materials such as bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
, mild steel, as well as more modern substances such as polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
foam, bread, rubber and spray paint.
Biography
Born in 1975, he was educated at Malvern CollegeMalvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
; the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
, where he was taught by James Castle
James Castle (sculptor)
James Castle is a Scottish sculptor and artist based in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. The majority of James' work is carved in wood; but there are also sculptures modelled in plaster and clay, some of which have been cast into bronze....
; Chelsea College of Art; and 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...
in London.
In 2001, Benedict was awarded the Jerwood Sculpture
Jerwood Sculpture
The Jerwood Foundation's sculpture collection is a collection of 20th and 21st century sculptures. They are diplayed at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire, England....
prize for his sculpture "Universal Object"; in 2005 his work was exhibited as part of Swansong, an installation curated by the Centre of Attention
The Centre of Attention
The Centre of Attention is a London-based contemporary art organisation set up in 1999. Projects are shown internationally and constitute an ongoing enquiry into the phenomenon of art production, presentation and consumption....
, and shown at the Venice Biennale
Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years in Venice, Italy. The Venice Film Festival is part of it. So too is the Venice Biennale of Architecture, which is held in even years...
; and in the same year, "40,000 Years of Modern Art", a public sculpture, was unveiled at Manhattan Gate in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, UK. The maquette for this work is shown to the right.
In 2006, he was appointed a Senior Lecturer in Architecture, Art and Design at the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
; and since January 2008, he has been a Senior Lecturer in Fine Art (Sculpture) at the University of Wolverhampton
University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is a British university located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The city campus is located in Wolverhampton city centre with a second campus at Compton Park, Wolverhampton; a third in Walsall and a fourth in Telford...
.
Sculpture
His sculptural work is typified by a variety of blobby abstraction that teeters on the brink of figuration. As his entry in the Jerwood Sculpture Park catalogue has it:"... Carpenter would never want his sculpture to be pinned down to one meaning. His proposal for the grounds of Witley Court follow on from work that he displayed at the Jerwood Space
Jerwood Space
Jerwood Space is an arts venue at Bankside on Union Street, Southwark, London. The facilities include rehearsal studios, gallery/exhibition space, meeting rooms, a café, etc. Exhibits include contemporary art and photography throughout the building....
two years ago. Based on Rorschach tests, the celebrated ink-blots that triggered a naming process in psychological experiments, they made Carpenter view his work for Witley Court as a 'blank canvas, on which viewers can project their own interpretations.'", the purpose of this being to stimulate a "fertile uncertainty in the onlooker's mind", that will not allow the sculpture "to settle into a stable identity".1
More recently, he has been working with open forms constructed in mild steel, the first of which was made in 2009 and is sited in Candas in Asturias, Spain. Another was commissioned by the Jerwood Foundation, and is currently on loan to Oakham School
Oakham School
Oakham School is a British co-educational independent school in the historic market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 pupils, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils . The Good Schools Guide called the school "a privileged but unpretentious and...
, Rutland. Both of these forms, titled 'Net Form' and 'Pod' respectively, carry biomorphic resonances.
External links
- Benedict Carpenter, own website
- Benedict Carpenter, Google Profile
- Benedict Carpenter, University of Wolverhampton
- Pod at Oakham School, Rutland
- PDF of the Jerwood Sculpture Park Catalogue
- Benedict Carpenter, Jerwood website
- Benedict Carpenter, Universal Object
- Benedict Carpenter, Arts Council, Manhattan Gate, Middlesbrough
- Benedict Carpenter, BBC