Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize 2017 Sculpture Winner
An exhibition of artworks by Sol Bailey Barker,
on display at The Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery
1st Jul - 30th Sep 2017
Sol Bailey Barker is the winner of the Ashurst Emerging Artist Prize for Sculpture 2017, and wins £1,250 and a solo exhibition at the Ashurst Emerging Artist Gallery in London.
Sol Bailey Barker is a British artist whose work ties together historical and sociological research with an inquiry into the power and symbolism of materials. His work often begins with a journey to a particular place to research and explore its landscapes and histories by in part excavating and collecting objects. Past projects have taken him to the Himalayas, Colombia, Peru, France and Italy where he has created a number of public sculptures and worked alongside communities studying their folklore and exploring local craft and work practices in order to understand regional relationships to materials. Fascinated by the notion of archetypes and the evolution of power symbols from the Neolithic age until the present.
Sol Bailey Barker is a British artist whose work ties together historical and sociological research with an inquiry into the power and symbolism of materials. His work often begins with a journey to a particular place to research and explore its landscapes and histories by in part excavating and collecting objects. Past projects have taken him to the Himalayas, Colombia, Peru, France and Italy where he has created a number of public sculptures and worked alongside communities studying their folklore and exploring local craft and work practices in order to understand regional relationships to materials. Fascinated by the notion of archetypes and the evolution of power symbols from the Neolithic age until the present.
Bullets to Spade
300 Winchester 308 bullets and hand carved oak and bronze 173 x 28 x 9cm Not for sale |
The glamorisation of weaponry, desperation and the aspirations to be a hero in war draws communities into violence. In Colombia Sol Bailey Barker collected bullet casings found in the streets of San Agustin. Bullets to Spade was made by heating and hammering 300 bullets into a hand carved spade. This work meditates on turning instruments of death into instruments of life used for growing food and building homes. "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." - Isaiah 2:4 
Bullets to Spade (detail)
|
Medellin
Oak, gold leaf and paint 
Tolima Egge
Charred oak & paint |
Uprooted
Oak, gold leaf and tree root 200 x 120 x 120cm 
Metamorphosis II
Lacquered mild steel 120 x 60 x 60cm |
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sol lives and works in London, collecting and assembling artefacts from post-industrial landscapes. His most recent exhibition entitled The Perpetuity of Ruin was an immersive installation based in the converted railway arch of FieldWorks. Through a new series of Tapestries the artist used found objects from his childhood and displayed them beside debris recently washed up on the banks of the River Thames. Certified antiques identified by The Museum of London allude to certain histories, yet the jumbled, declassified presentation and ‘fakes' suggest other possibilities of history and the co-existence of the past, present and future.
Solo Exhibitions:
The Perpetuity of Ruin, Fieldworks, London Fields, 22nd June - 3rd August 2017
Holborn Circus, Public Installation of 'Forms Shaped Through Time' two monumental sculptures by Sol Bailey Barker, 2016 - 2017
From Myth To Earth, The Koppel Project Hive, Holborn, 8th September - 29th October 2016
Wyrd Then: Weird Now, The Koppel Project, 13th April - 22nd May 2016
Group Exhibitions:
Sol Bailey Barker, Gamaliel Rodriguz & Annett Zinsmeister, Galeria Impakto, Lima, Peru, October - November 2017
Between Night and Day, Curated by Kaleidoscope Arts, June 2017
The National Sculpture Symposium, Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Kent 2014
Forest Row Arts Festival, Sussex, 2014
I Don't Mind, 3Space, Victoria Embankment, London, 2013
Northala, Red Earth (performer), London, 2012
Brighton Degree Show, 2011
Read Between the Lines, University of Brighton Gallery, 2011
Residencies and Awards:
Galeria Impakto Artist Residency, 2017
RBS Hex Residency, Munich, 2017
The Ashurt Emerging Art Prize, Winner of The Sculpture Prize, 2017
Outset Artist Residency, Tel Aviv, 2016
Shortlisted for the Brian Mercer Bronze Award, 2016
Metro Imaging sponsorship for 'From Myth To Earth', 2016
Arts Council England funding for 'From Myth To Earth' collaborative project with Gabriella Sonabend, 2016
Sachaqa Centro De Arte, San Roque de Cumbaza, Peru, 2015
Lugar a Dudas, Cali, Colombia, 2014
As Above, So Below, National Sculpture Symposium, 2014
Portico in Arte, Portico Di Romagna, Italy, 2014
Peregrination shorlisted for best animation at National Student Film Festival, 2012
Farley's Yard Art Award, 2006
Talks and Events:
ART NIGHT 2017, The Perpetuity of Ruin, Artist Presentation, Fieldworks, London Fields, 1 July 2017, 6pm - 12am
From Myth To Earth, artist talk and book launch, The Koppel Project Hive, September 2016
Forms Shaped Through Time, Sculpture unveiling and artist talk, Holborn Circus, September 2016
'Wyrd Then : Weird Now - an excavation', Artist Talk, The Koppel Project, 93 Baker Street, May 2016
National Sculpture Symposium Panel Discussion and Talk, The Royal Society of British Sculptors, September 2015
National Sculpture Symposium, Artist talk at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, July 2014
Publications and Press:
Ruins & relics trawled from the Thames find new life in Sol Bailey Barker's powerful show, Review by Aindrea Emelife, Phoenix Magazine
How To Change The World : Sol Bailey Barker 'Between Night & Day' exhibition review by James Thomas, Nomadic Press
AFTER NYNE, Issue 13, January 2017, Artist Feature
'Mythologies to Follow', Interview with Sol Bailey Barker, Pocko
Art Thou, Artist Feature
Rear Window - Colombian Art: From Myth To Earth, documentary on teleSUR about 'From Myth To Earth' & 'Mitologia de la Tierra'
This is Tomorrow, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Found Some Paper, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
The Prisma Magazine, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Culture Label, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
FROM MYTH TO EARTH; Seeking Archetypes in Greed and Healing, Koppel Press, 2016 (launched at the opening of From Myth To Earth exhibition.
What's Hot London, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Metro Imaging, Sponsorship article 'From Myth To Earth'
The Interview London Magazine, Exhibition Guide
Nomadic Press, Artist Interview, 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
Avenir Magazine Online, review of 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
FAD Magazine Online, review of 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
PANTA Magazine, Issue 8, Interview with Sol Bailey Barker, February 2016
Art Habens, Special Summer Edition, 2015
National Sculpture Symposium 2014 Publication in association with Forum Arts
Representation and Collections:
Sol exhibits with The Koppel Project in London and is represented by Galeria Impakto in Lima, Peru. Sol's work are housed in numerous private collections internationally and in public collections in the UK, Italy, Peru and France.
Solo Exhibitions:
The Perpetuity of Ruin, Fieldworks, London Fields, 22nd June - 3rd August 2017
Holborn Circus, Public Installation of 'Forms Shaped Through Time' two monumental sculptures by Sol Bailey Barker, 2016 - 2017
From Myth To Earth, The Koppel Project Hive, Holborn, 8th September - 29th October 2016
Wyrd Then: Weird Now, The Koppel Project, 13th April - 22nd May 2016
Group Exhibitions:
Sol Bailey Barker, Gamaliel Rodriguz & Annett Zinsmeister, Galeria Impakto, Lima, Peru, October - November 2017
Between Night and Day, Curated by Kaleidoscope Arts, June 2017
The National Sculpture Symposium, Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, Kent 2014
Forest Row Arts Festival, Sussex, 2014
I Don't Mind, 3Space, Victoria Embankment, London, 2013
Northala, Red Earth (performer), London, 2012
Brighton Degree Show, 2011
Read Between the Lines, University of Brighton Gallery, 2011
Residencies and Awards:
Galeria Impakto Artist Residency, 2017
RBS Hex Residency, Munich, 2017
The Ashurt Emerging Art Prize, Winner of The Sculpture Prize, 2017
Outset Artist Residency, Tel Aviv, 2016
Shortlisted for the Brian Mercer Bronze Award, 2016
Metro Imaging sponsorship for 'From Myth To Earth', 2016
Arts Council England funding for 'From Myth To Earth' collaborative project with Gabriella Sonabend, 2016
Sachaqa Centro De Arte, San Roque de Cumbaza, Peru, 2015
Lugar a Dudas, Cali, Colombia, 2014
As Above, So Below, National Sculpture Symposium, 2014
Portico in Arte, Portico Di Romagna, Italy, 2014
Peregrination shorlisted for best animation at National Student Film Festival, 2012
Farley's Yard Art Award, 2006
Talks and Events:
ART NIGHT 2017, The Perpetuity of Ruin, Artist Presentation, Fieldworks, London Fields, 1 July 2017, 6pm - 12am
From Myth To Earth, artist talk and book launch, The Koppel Project Hive, September 2016
Forms Shaped Through Time, Sculpture unveiling and artist talk, Holborn Circus, September 2016
'Wyrd Then : Weird Now - an excavation', Artist Talk, The Koppel Project, 93 Baker Street, May 2016
National Sculpture Symposium Panel Discussion and Talk, The Royal Society of British Sculptors, September 2015
National Sculpture Symposium, Artist talk at Riverhill Himalayan Gardens, July 2014
Publications and Press:
Ruins & relics trawled from the Thames find new life in Sol Bailey Barker's powerful show, Review by Aindrea Emelife, Phoenix Magazine
How To Change The World : Sol Bailey Barker 'Between Night & Day' exhibition review by James Thomas, Nomadic Press
AFTER NYNE, Issue 13, January 2017, Artist Feature
'Mythologies to Follow', Interview with Sol Bailey Barker, Pocko
Art Thou, Artist Feature
Rear Window - Colombian Art: From Myth To Earth, documentary on teleSUR about 'From Myth To Earth' & 'Mitologia de la Tierra'
This is Tomorrow, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Found Some Paper, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
The Prisma Magazine, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Culture Label, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
FROM MYTH TO EARTH; Seeking Archetypes in Greed and Healing, Koppel Press, 2016 (launched at the opening of From Myth To Earth exhibition.
What's Hot London, Exhibition review of 'From Myth To Earth'
Metro Imaging, Sponsorship article 'From Myth To Earth'
The Interview London Magazine, Exhibition Guide
Nomadic Press, Artist Interview, 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
Avenir Magazine Online, review of 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
FAD Magazine Online, review of 'Wyrd Then : Weird Now'
PANTA Magazine, Issue 8, Interview with Sol Bailey Barker, February 2016
Art Habens, Special Summer Edition, 2015
National Sculpture Symposium 2014 Publication in association with Forum Arts
Representation and Collections:
Sol exhibits with The Koppel Project in London and is represented by Galeria Impakto in Lima, Peru. Sol's work are housed in numerous private collections internationally and in public collections in the UK, Italy, Peru and France.