We take immense pride in showcasing artists whose works inspire and captivate. Sculptor David Robinson's pieces are renowned for their intricate balance of tension and harmony. In our interview, Robinson delves into his creative process, the profound influence of his materials, and how his art is shaped by the dynamic interplay between balance and tension. He shares insights on the philosophical underpinnings of his work, his love for clay, and the unique perspectives that drive his artistic vision.

 

 

View All David's Pieces HERE

Can you share a bit about your background and what initially drew you to sculpture as an art form? 


I grew up in a faith-based home in which archaic notions of transcendence, calling, and a meaningful cosmos were all given generous latitude. That total immersion in an expansive milieu, coupled with an innate love for the perennial epiphanies of artisanal work made me a willing conscript to the practice of art and its soul-seeking mode of attention paid and time spent.

 

A key to the work - the reason I am a sculptor - is a love for the deep call & response that resonates between figure and clay. For whatever reason, pencils and paint upon the pictorial plane always felt to me like the dry schematic plotting of a mapmaker. On the other hand there was the expressive heft of clay - its bodying forth into the thrill of terra-incognita. From early childhood it was clay-modelling that planted in my mind the quickening seed of art. Clay was fertile soil that could be counted on to yield more than is sown.

 

 

Your work often features a dynamic interplay between balance and tension. Could you describe your creative process and how you achieve this effect in your sculptures? 

 

There are paired opposites throughout the human condition, each acting as the matrix to the other: Necessity and will, constraint and freedom, relinquishment and defiance.

The figurative sculptor that composes any simple pair of diametrical forces acting upon the body will find that he has just authored an archetype; a plot in which the stakes are existential.

 

The sculptor’s palette is not that of hue and shade; rather it consists of figure and ground, tension and compression, mass and poise. I think it is also the stylistic austerity of my work that brings to the fore those tensile dynamics you mention.  Absent the sheen of the merely sleek, the pleasantly polished and other enticements to the acquisitive gaze, my spare compositions are instead a stoic idiom of figures afoot and striving for dignity and poise amid a grappling ontology.

 

 

What materials do you prefer to work with and why? 

 

I frequently now use a three-D pen for preparatory studies and maquettes, often in conjunction with wax, thermal resin or others in the broad family of “plastic” media. Both water-based and oil-based clays are a go-to for larger work. But the key for me, whatever the medium, is in its relative impertinence toward one’s best laid plans: There is a wisdom inherent to the material,- whether it be paper, bronze, steel, silver or glass - that will guide and refine the work so long as the artiste can be persuaded to get out of the way…  Within that variety of media I try to optimize in favour of this prized and core credo: Namely that the work has better ideas than I do.   

 

 

How do these materials influence the final outcome of your pieces? 

 

I try to explore the landscapes of an unfurling artwork with a keen deference to its evolving aesthetic ecosystem; for what is immanent in its character and for what becomes implicit in its countenance. Contrary to current fashion I am keen to advance the idea that the artist is better conceived as a servant of the work than as its master. If I am so simple as to admit that there is something about the clay on a given day - that even seasonal temperatures and relative humidities may inform the character of what is becoming - then I am attuning to something greater than my own “genius” in the finished work.

We’re thrilled to have you at the Four Seasons in Whistler for our upcoming event. Can you give us a sneak peek of what attendees can expect from your presentation and Q&A session? 

 

As the artist is a purveyor of imaginal and day-dreamt esoterica it seems only fair they should go first in the game of interpreting the work. I thought it best to wander through a series of reflections on the range of works presently on display at the WCG. Tracing evolutions of form, thematic and material origin stories, we will reflect upon works such as Apex and Foothold which draw their inspirations directly from Sea-To-Sky country, as well as broader signature themes in works such as Faultline and Mainstay.


 

 

How does the environment, such as the scenic beauty of Whistler, inspire or influence your work? 

Are there any particular elements of this location that you find especially inspiring? 

 

Whistler is perched at the edge of a landscape that just resists by sheer enormity the categorical impositions of humankind.  Here we glimpse an awe-inspiring terrain whose powerful beauty yet reminds us that beauty needs defending. An ancient mountain range whose staggering endurance amid eons yet inclines us to consider our footing in the moment.

 

 

 

What do you hope attendees will take away from your meet and greet at the event? 

 

The embodied and implicit language of art is a way of seeing and being that is under threat by our virtualizing ersatz culture. I present these simple works as a countervailing ethos: a contemplative alchemy fusing matter and spirit in the crucible of allotted time and space.

 

 

Looking ahead, are there any exciting projects or new directions you’re exploring in your work? How can fans and attendees stay connected with your latest creations?

 

My studio has just been awarded a major public art commission, titled Depth of Field, to be installed in the City of Burnaby BC, in late 2025.

 

A new monument in bronze and stainless steel is to be installed in the city of Jerusalem later this year; a work of  deep gravitas it is an emblem of great historical significance to the people of Ukraine.

 

My work can be viewed at www.robinsonstudio.com, and we occasionally post on Instagram at @robinsonstudiogallery

 

 

 

 

Check Out David's work HERE


DAVID ROBINSON IN WHISTLER

SEPTEMBER 1st, 2024 | 4PM to 6.30PM

Whistler Contemporary Gallery is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting world-renowned artist, David Robinson, for an artist presentation at the Four Seasons Hotel in the downstairs lobby on Sunday, September 1st 2024. 

 

We welcome you for a cocktail reception with David Robinson followed by an artist presentation. He will share insight into what goes on behind the scenes and then open the floor to questions. 

 

 

EVENT DETAILS

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