Richard Sweeney

Paper workshop at Kunsthochschule Kassel

2012-01-21T03:13:00.001-08:00

Paper workshop at Kunsthochschule Kassel, originally uploaded by Richard Sweeney.

On invitation from Prof. Oliver Vogt, I gave a workshop in paper folding for the first year students of Product Design at the Art University Kassel, Germany.

After demonstrating basic folding techniques, the students were set free to explore form making in paper, with an emphasis on repetition and structure.

16th-17th January 2012

Folding Neon

2011-12-20T17:55:00.001-08:00

Untitled, originally uploaded by Richard Sweeney.

I was invited to Neon Workshops, Wakefield for a short residency, where I was given the opportunity to work with Neon for the first time. Firstly I experimented with bending sheet acrylic by hand using the heat of the gas-torches, creating tactile, fluid shapes, which then formed the basis for a series of neon sculptures.

The body of work is on show now at Neon Workshops until 10th January 2012- www.neonworkshops.com

With thanks to Richard Wheater for technical assistance.

Block Party celebrates pattern-cutting beyond the garment

2011-09-08T01:51:00.000-07:00

Block Party: contemporary craft inspired by the art of the tailor, is a new touring exhibition from the Crafts Council that previews at designjunction, Victoria House, Southampton Row, from 22 to 25 September, as part of this year’s London Design Festival. The exhibition features the Angel Statuette by Richard Sweeney.

The exhibition is free to attend, requiring online registration at the following link: http://www.thedesignjunction.co.uk/

Paper Art Fest 2011- Sofia, Bulgaria

2011-04-29T03:03:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Paper Art Fest presents an International exhibition of paper artworks, with works showing at venues throughout the city of Sofia from 3rd May- 30th June. The festival highlights the unique creative potential of paper, as well as demonstrating techniques to inspire creativity at workshops and lectures.

The 2011 Paper Fest will have its opening in the City Art Gallery on the 3rd of May.

The International festival will open at The National Art Gallery on the 5th of May, with further receptions at other venues through the week.

Sofia Paper Fest 2011 website: http://www.amateras.eu/foudation/home.html

Richard Sweeney and Boucheron.

2011-04-13T01:26:00.000-07:00

Wallpaper* Handmade: April 13th- 17th 2011, Milan.

A sculptural piece created in collaboration with Boucheron for Wallpaper Magazine's Handmade exhibition

Showcasing one-off collaborations between designers and craftsmen, makers and manufacturers of the highest quality.. this is a celebration of beautiful new friendships and beautiful new things.

Brioni, Via del Gesu 2A, Milan,
Central Milan
http://www.wallpaper.com

Current and upcoming shows

2011-03-07T11:18:00.000-08:00

Turned Pages, Februaury 11th - March 11th 2011
Group show of paper artwork in Chicago at the Bridge Gallery of Contemporary Art, 2202 South Halsted Street
Chicago, Illinois 60608 USA.

More Than Floral, April 2nd -June 25th 2011
This mixed media exhibition explores themes of nature through a broad range of objects. More Than Floral highlights the inspiration the natural world provides for so many makers, artists and photographers. The exhibition will transfer to the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery at the end of June. From there it will travel to various galleries in the Scottish Highlands until November 2011
Bilston Craft Gallery Mount Pleasant Bilston West Midlands, WV14 7LU. Tel: 01902 552506
Click here for Bilston Craft Gallery website.

Sofia International Art Biennial 2011. May 3rd - June 30th
Amateras Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria

The Angel

2010-11-22T15:21:00.001-08:00

The Angel, originally uploaded by Richard Sweeney.

Paper Sculpture created for La Rinascente Christmas window display 2010, Piazza Del Duomo, Milan.

Click here for images.

Open Studio, September 29th

2010-09-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Westgate Studios will be open on Wednesday 29th of September from 5-9pm, offering an insight into the practice of the studio holders and featuring the exhibition Taking the Myth, by Duncan Lister and Bob Milner, which takes a humorous and irreverent look at our perception of the artist and making art in the digital age.

Richard Sweeney and Andrew Singleton's studio door will be open to show new projects and artworks in progress, including Sweeney's pleated paper sculpture, and Singleton's intricate paper-cut illustrations.

Westgate Studios Homepage: http://www.westgatestudios.net/
Wakfield Artwalk map: http://www.artwalk.org.uk/

BOX Exhibition, Aarhus, Denmark

2010-08-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

27th August-30th October 2010

BOX is LYNfabrikkens window gallery on Vestergade, Aarhus, creating space for all the inspiration emerging from the clash between art and design. Richard Sweeney presents Beta II, an installation created using a continuous length of pleated paper. Additionally, the installation incorporates a specially printed carpet designed by Sweeney in collaboration with Ege Carpets.

BOX by: LYNfabrikken, Vestergade 49B, 8000 Aarhus C. www.lynfabrikken.dk

The Hepworth Wakefield- The Swap

2010-07-27T14:54:00.000-07:00

'The Swap' sees one of the Hepworth Wakefield's most treasured works of art- Barbara Hepworth's, Mother and Child (1934)- exhibited for one night only, on the 28th July at Westgate Studios as part of Wakefield Art Walk. Simultaneously five Wakefield-based artists will be showing their responses to this extraordinary sculpture in the galleries of The Hepworth Wakefield.

Andy Singleton and Richard Sweeney present a paper sculpture, Morphogenesis I, in gallery 5. The work is a response to the gestation of life through the idea of cellular growth. Combining three-dimensional sculptural forms (Sweeney) with intricate cut patterns (Singleton), the installation may be viewed as the first stages of development; a multiplying cell with the potential for expansion into a complex, unique form.

Links: Westgate Studios, The Hepworth Wakefield

Figure I

2010-07-04T07:30:00.001-07:00

Figure I, originally uploaded by Richard Sweeney.

One in a series of of wet-folded paper pieces exploring the form making potential of curved pleating.