John Buckley (sculptor)
Encyclopedia
John Buckley, born in Leeds
in 1945, is a sculptor
whose best known work is the sculpture "Untitled 1986", better known as "the Shark House" or the "Headington Shark
" in Headington
, Oxford
.
Buckley went to sculpture classes in the evenings when studying for his O-levels in a technical college. He went on to Winchester School of Art
and Leicester College of Art, and thereafter worked as a lorry driver and labourer while getting his career as sculptor off the ground.
In 1976 his friend Bill Heine
invited Buckley to design the sculptural fixtures on the Penultimate Picture Palace. For the facade Buckley chose a dramatic figure reminiscent of Al Jolson with outstretched hands. Mae West
's lips were the inspiration for the cinema's door handles and, somewhat later Buckley would erect a male and a female figure above the toilet entrances, whimsically named Pearl and Dean.
In 1978 a work of his (Pagliaccio) was exhibited by Nicholas Treadwell
at the Washington Art Fair, and he stayed with Treadwell for some time thereafter.
The "Headington Shark" was erected on the 41st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki
. Made of fibreglass
on the farm near Wallingford, Oxfordshire where he was based, the shark itself weighs 203 kilograms and is 25 feet long. Buckley regards it as an integral part of "Untitled 1986" or "Shark House", a work of "Mixed Media, Brick, slates, wood, metal, polyester resin, glass, plaster, oil paint, lace curtaining and window boxes……."
John Buckley is a patron of MAG (Mines Advisory Group
), a neutral and impartial humanitarian
organisation.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
in 1945, is a sculptor
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
whose best known work is the sculpture "Untitled 1986", better known as "the Shark House" or the "Headington Shark
The Headington Shark
The Headington Shark is a sculpture situated at 2 New High Street, Headington, Oxford, England, depicting a shark embedded head-first in the roof of the house.-Appearance:The shark first appeared on 9 August 1986...
" in Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
Buckley went to sculpture classes in the evenings when studying for his O-levels in a technical college. He went on to Winchester School of Art
Winchester School of Art
Winchester School of Art is the art school of the University of Southampton, situated 10 miles north of Southampton in the city of Winchester near the south coast of England.- Overview :...
and Leicester College of Art, and thereafter worked as a lorry driver and labourer while getting his career as sculptor off the ground.
In 1976 his friend Bill Heine
Bill Heine
Bill Heine is the Sunday Morning presenter on BBC Radio Oxford 95.2 FM . He has worked for BBC Radio Oxford since 1983, and is considered by many to be very opinionated and perhaps somewhat controversial in the field of radio presenting...
invited Buckley to design the sculptural fixtures on the Penultimate Picture Palace. For the facade Buckley chose a dramatic figure reminiscent of Al Jolson with outstretched hands. Mae West
Mae West
Mae West was an American actress, playwright, screenwriter and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned seven decades....
's lips were the inspiration for the cinema's door handles and, somewhat later Buckley would erect a male and a female figure above the toilet entrances, whimsically named Pearl and Dean.
In 1978 a work of his (Pagliaccio) was exhibited by Nicholas Treadwell
Nicholas Treadwell
Nicholas Treadwell owns the Nicholas Treadwell Gallery, which started in 1963 in touring vehicles, after which it was run in buildings in London, Bradford and finally Austria. Treadwell has promoted the Superhumanism art movement, which is defined as an art of urban living, conveyed in a vivid and...
at the Washington Art Fair, and he stayed with Treadwell for some time thereafter.
The "Headington Shark" was erected on the 41st anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki
Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
. Made of fibreglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
on the farm near Wallingford, Oxfordshire where he was based, the shark itself weighs 203 kilograms and is 25 feet long. Buckley regards it as an integral part of "Untitled 1986" or "Shark House", a work of "Mixed Media, Brick, slates, wood, metal, polyester resin, glass, plaster, oil paint, lace curtaining and window boxes……."
John Buckley is a patron of MAG (Mines Advisory Group
Mines Advisory Group
The Mines Advisory Group is a Non-Governmental Organisation , which assists people affected by landmines, unexploded ordnance and SALW ....
), a neutral and impartial humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
organisation.