Nick Bibby
5th June - 27th June 2014
Sladmore Contemporary 32 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London W1J 6NW Email: [email protected] Telephone 020 7499 0365
www.sladmorecontemporary.com SLADMORE CONTEMPORARY NICK BIBBY JUNE 2014
Nick Bibby is a remarkable sculptor, admired by collectors and fellow artists alike for his astounding sculptural ability. His assured and precise handling of the medium, combined with the accuracy and intelligence of his modelling and his faithfulness to nature, which is second to none.
It is far from fashionable to create art these days, which is true to the subject and so honest and transparent in its aim, to simply portray an image of the model. And here we have that, but there is also a romance and sensitivity to nature and an awareness of pose, subject and detail in Nick’s work that makes each piece an intensely satisfying and tactile artistic delight.
We instinctively feel when a sculpture is, “right”, and whether we have an underlying affection for animals, or simply find the natural world fascinating, this work strikes that chord. The combination of an artistic interpretation of nature with elements of beauty and a beautifully crafted aesthetic are a powerful antidote to the frenzied pace of stressful, modern, techno life. These sculptures are not egotistical confirmations of power and wealth, they are beautiful, collectable, objects… to be enjoyed and stroked and contemplated by generations to come. Look closely and you will see tiny feathers, claws, beating veins, and always something new to delight the eye… all created in patinated bronze. The array of colours and exquisite casting a result of the artist’s long association with the brilliant Pangolin Foundry.
The positive response to Nick’s work over the few years I have represented him has been wonderful and continues to grow. The British Champion Animals project, in homage to Herbert Haseltine, is now complete and I am delighted to have an opportunity in this catalogue to present the complete collection. Other exciting new works include “Apollo” and “Artemis”, male and female torso studies, and the massive monumental bear, “Indomitable”, number one of which was recently installed on the campus of Brown University in Rhode Island, with number two about to go on show in central London.
The “Nick Bibby Sculpture” Facebook page has acquired over 100,000 followers in little more than a year. A testament not only to the quality and universal appeal of Nick’s work, but also to his generosity, in sharing and revealing so much of himself, his techniques and working practices to anybody who is interested.
So in this young sculptor we have the talent and modeling skills of earlier centuries, a natural and green sensibility, and a facility with electronic communication that suits the digital age and the brave new world of Art on the Interweb today. For me, he perfectly embodies the ethos of Sladmore Contemporary in 2014! INDIAN RHINO 1 23”H, 31”W “Such amazing, almost prehistoric, beasts! How could anyone not love the Indian Rhino?” WILD BOAR 2 12”H, 15”W
‘EMPORER OF EXMOOR’ 3 RED DEER STAG 16”H, 14”W
‘GRACE’ 4 LURCHER 8”H, 10”W SILVERBACK MOUNTAIN GORILLA 5 60”H, 26”W
GREAT CRESTED GREBE 6 8”H, 15”W
“I tried to capture the fluidity and grace of the split second before the bird dives beneath the water, as it lifts and arches it’s body like a coiled spring. Only ever glimpsed, because it happens so fast.”
GREY PARTRIDGE 7 3”H, 9”W
WOODCOCK II 8 4”H, 9”W PEREGRINE FALCON 9 34”H, 16”W
GOSHAWK 10 15”H, 17”W
KINGFISHER II 11 8”H, 14”W “Even the most fleeting glimpse of a Kingfisher as it flashes by lifts my heart like no other bird.” BLACK BEAR WITH HONEYCOMB 12 9”H, 8”W ‘INDOMITABLE’ (MAQUETTE) 13 KODIAK BROWN BEAR 36”H, 14”W
‘INDOMITABLE’ 14 KODIAK BROWN BEAR 180”H, 70”W, 65”D “Because he typifies, in his magnificent strength, those qualities of fearlessness, hardihood and resistance to attack which make him a powerful opponent. We maintain that those of our young men who follow the example of the bear in these respects will make for better scholars than those who lack Bruno’s qualities.” Herbert B. Keen
Photo: Mike Cohea / Brown University APOLLO (MAQUETTE) 15 21”H, 6”W ARTEMIS (MAQUETTE) 16 19”H, 5”W
APOLLO 17 83”H, 24”W ARTEMIS 18 76”H, 20”W
This new exhibition, more than any other, showcases my love of both sculpting, sculpture and the creative process, and demonstrates my approach to this, my chosen vocation. I thrive on the challenge of fresh and exciting subjects, requiring new understandings and techniques. For me, sculpting is the act of transforming love and understanding for one’s chosen subject into three dimensional works of art that are both true to life, and aesthetically and emotionally engaging. The interplay of bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, beneath skin, fur, or feathers, as my subjects go about their daily lives, is endlessly fascinating and to my eyes, beautiful. It enriches my life. I am constantly learning, and striving to improve. Meticulously researching, carefully choosing my materials, methods and approach, all in an effort to capture at last in bronze the idealised, fleeting glimpse that crystallises in my mind’s eye as I learn and ‘fall in love with’ each new subject. Whether my sculpture is of a gigantic bear, a rhino, a bull, a beautiful and athletic human torso, a woolly sheep, or a tiny kingfisher, perched on a willow branch above running water, the joy of creation and the artistic challenge is the same!
The next few pages show a little of that creative process and are immediately followed by, “British Champion Animals”. Inspired by the collection of the same name, sculpted by Herbert Haseltine over 80 years ago, and featuring a couple of direct descendants of animals sculpted by him, namely Euston Malachite, the Suffolk Punch stallion, and Street Talbot, the Traditional Hereford bull. Champion Animals, sculpted over the course of more than 4 years, gave me the opportunity to sculpt portraits (in the truest sense of the word) depicting some of the finest examples of our British domestic breeds and rare breeds as they look today, in all their sleek/muscled/woolly/wrinkly magnificence! Some are unchanged from Hesaltine’s day, but many that were commonplace 80 years ago are now reduced to just a few hundred animals. Over the course of sculpting these magnificent beasts, I developed a tremendous affection for both the animals themselves and the part they have played in our cultural history, as well as a deep respect for the owners and handlers that keep these breeds alive. “British Champion Animals” is a document of the rich heritage of our domestic livestock. Both as a collection, and as individual portraits, it is a body of work of which I am, quietly, rather proud.
It is my hope that viewers of this exhibition and catalogue will in some part, share my love and appreciation for the many and varied subjects included in this exhibition and depicted within these pages.
Nick Bibby
April 7th 2014
BLACKBROOK PHILOSOPHER (40”) 19 BRITISH LONGHORN BULL 30”H, 40”W BRITISH CHAMPION ANIMALS BLACKBROOK PHILOSOPHER (20”) 20 BRITISH LONGHORN BULL 15”H, 20”W
ROSEMEAD JERONNY 21 ABERDEEN ANGUS BULL 15”H, 21”W
“The Aberdeen Angus is such an iconic breed. Known and admired worldwide.”
GALAWATER BOLD KING 22 ABERDEEN ANGUS 18”H, 9”W ELMFORD DISCRETION 23 RED RUBY DEVON BULL 10”H, 10”W
‘FREDDIE’ 24 YEOMADEN FERDINAND RED RUBY DEVON BULL 15”H, 21”W ASH NIK-NAK 25 WHITE PARK BULL 15”H, 21”W
“When I first saw Ash Nik-Nak, looking like an Ancient Cretan Bull come to life, gleaming like molten silver in the sunlight, there was no question that I had to sculpt him!”
ASH NIK-NAK MINIATURE (BRONZE) 26 WHITE PARK BULL 7”H, 8”W
ASH NIK-NAK MINIATURE (SILVER) 27 WHITE PARK BULL 7”H, 8”W HIGHLAND BULL 28 CRUBACH OF REDRULLION 6”H, 12”W ‘ERIC’ 29 AIRIGH BHOIDHEACH OF ORMSARY HIGHLAND BULL 14”H, 18”W
STREET TALBOT 30 TRADITIONAL HEREFORD BULL 14”H, 19”W
“The family of Talbot’s owner have farmed Herefords for over 180 years. Man and beast in perfect harmony.”
TRAILFINDER FORTITUDE 31 BLOODHOUND 8”H, 12”W
GRANGE FARM LADY FIONA 32 SHIRE MARE 11”H, 11”W “Standing in the show ring at the Westmorland Show, I thought Fiona was the most beautiful Shire I had ever seen!”
MOORTOWN COUNTRYMAN 33 DARTMOOR PONY STALLION 17”H, 14”W
EUSTON MALACHITE 34 SUFFOLK PUNCH 20”H, 21”W
“A coat like burnished copper and hooves the size of dinner plates!”
ROCKY RELAXING 35 SUFFOLK PUNCH 8”H, 13”W
‘INGRID’ 36 CRANE NOCTURNE 56 LARGE BLACK SOW 8”H, 13”W CRANE GLEN 3 37 TAMWORTH BOAR 11”H, 17”W
‘ALICE’ 38 LEWIN DOROTHY 3 MIDDLE WHITE SOW 10”H, 15”W
‘TRUFFLES’ 39 MIDDLE WHITE 14”D SUNSHINE & PIGLETS 40 3”H, 10”W, 8”D
LISKEARD SUNSHINE 500 41 BRITISH LOP SOW 11”H, 16”W “Dittisham Lady 22 was such a mischievous young pig – playfully nibbling my back pocket as I tried to take measurements for my sculpture. A playful nip from a Berkshire is not an experience I am keen to repeat!”
DITTISHAM LADY 22 42 BERKSHIRE SOW 9”H, 12”W
“A champion game cock should have a body shaped like a bullock’s heart” OLD ENGLISH GAME COCK (BANTAM) 43 20”H, 14”W
HERDWICK RAM 44 11”H, 12”W
‘WILLIAM’ 45 WHITEFACE DARTMOOR RAM 9”H, 10”W ‘JJ’ 46 SCOTTISH BLACK FACE RAM 11”H, 13”W
‘ED’ 47 DEVON & CORNWALL LONGWOOL RAM 11”H, 12”W
“ED won ‘Champion Fleece’ at the last ever Royal Show. His magnificent curly locks weighing in at over 38lbs!” BRITISH CHAMPION ANIMALS
Blackbrook Philosopher (40”) Blackbrook Philosopher (20”)
Rosemead Jeronny Galawater Bold King Elmford Discretion
Freddie (Yeomadon Ferdinand Ash Nik-Nak Ash Nik-Nak Miniature (Bronze)
Ash Nik-Nak Miniature (Silver) Crubach of Redrullion Eric (Airigh Bhoidheach of Ormsary)
Street Talbot Trailfinder Fortitude Grange Farm Lady Fiona Moortown Countryman Euston Malachite Rocky Relaxing
Ingrid (Crane Nocturne 56) Crane Glen III Alice (Lewin Dorothy 3)
Truffles Sunshine & Piglets Liskeard Sunshine 500
Dittisham Lady 22 Old English Game Cock (Bantam) Herdwick Ram
William Moortown JJ E D ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This catalogue and collection of sculpture would not exist without the support and tireless efforts of so many people. Most importantly, my wonderful wife and daughter, Clare and Emily, for their boundless love, support and understanding. Also: Rungwe, Claude, Steve, Tristan, and all at Pangolin Editions. Gerry Farrell and all at Sladmore Contemporary. Steve, Ashley and Christine at Steve Russell Studios. All at Impact printers. Jill and Bob Bewley also deserve very special thanks from their “Lodger”. Lastly, all the owners and handlers of all the magnificent animals sculpted as part of “British Champion Animals”