ABOUT

 

 

From the Peanut Factory in Hackney Wick, East London, Russell Bamber is making sculptures that flirt with function, cavort with scale and frolic with surface. He has an eloquence, confidence and originality with form, material and colour that teases, amuses and beguiles.

 

Simple forms are extruded, distorted and butted to expand the space they occupy and challenge logic. Each facet collides with the next at perpendicular angles. Size and configuration are exaggerated and misconstrued by colour and reflection. Planes and form interplay and confuse the eye.

 

Within the complexity of colour the simplicity of form acts as a vehicle that shouts of the hierarchy of sculpture but whispers of the utilitarian function. The viewer is enticed on a journey of questioning, unsure quite which discipline his sculptures occupy. Are they sculpture, painting, design or architecture?

 

Russell sees his work as sculptures. Form is primary, colour secondary and function . . . way down the list but crucial to his thinking. The absurdity of a decision is often his reason for that decision.

 

Russell plunders his environment for highlights: Gibberd’s Harlow Civic Centre, the Peanut Factory’s Dutch gable, a baroque balustrade near Barolo, Italy; he sees them as gifts which he re-assigns, re-interprets and enhances. His craftsmanship oozes

care, seduces us and captivates us; his excitement and joy of materials is infectious.

 

Russell Bamber is open to commissions. Please feel free to contact him directly.

EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS

 

CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK Site Specific installation, May 2019

 

EJ RYDER, London, August 2018

 

CUCKOOZ NEST Solo Exhibition London, May 2018

 

QUIETLY SHOUTING LONDON Solo Exhibition Hackney, February 2017

 

QUIETLY SHOUTING Solo Exhibition Christ’s Hospital, Sussex, October 2016

 

ART MATTERS Christs Hospital, Sussex, October 2016

 

KANADA YA RESTAURANT Bespoke furniture commission, Soho, October 2016

 

CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK Site specific installation. Sponsored by Stirling OSB, May 2014

 

OMBRA AWARDS Winner of Ombra Award for Innovation with "Hackney Gothic" Selected for 100% Design Icon Design Trail magazine, September 2013

 

OMBRA CHAMPIONS Curator and exhibitor, “Just Another Point of View” large scale site specific sculpture, Vyner St, East London. Sponsored by Formica and 100% Design Icon Design Trail magazine.

September 2012

 

OMBRA SELECTS, Curator and exhibitor, “Viewpoint” large scale site specific sculpture that protruded 4m out of OMBRA window, over Regents Canal. September 2011

 

CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK, Commissioned by Material Lab, to design a set of sculptural chairs for trade stand at Britains largest Independent design show. May 2011

 

CENTERING ON THE PERIPHERY, Curator and exhibitor at No Name No Number Gallery, East London, October 2010

EXPERIENCE

SENIOR LECTURER IN FINE ART, UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON

Sept 2002 - July 2017

 

  • Specialism Leader in Fine Art and Head of Art History and Contextual Studies (Foundation)
  • Solely responsible for organisation and implementation of the  annual Foreign trips involving up to 86 students per year
  • Responsible for 3-D workshop inductions, and H&S
  • Teaching life drawing across the Foundation & Degrees
  • Responsible for continual assessments across Foundation specialisms (Fine Art, 3-D, Graphics, Illustration, Fashion)
  • Organising and construction of all exhibtion/installation spaces for Foundation students
  • Dissertation supervision and marking
  • Organisation and installation of Freerange London 2011 - 2016

 

 

FREELANCE EXHIBITION TECHNICIAN, LONDON

2002 - Present

 

  • Commissions for 100% Design & Clerkenwell Design Week, London Rokeby art gallery and Basel Art Fair
  • Marconi Gallery, Milan at Frieze Art Fair. Freerange, brick lane, London Paintings Adviser: The Apothecaries Hall, London.
  • Royal London Hospital, museum & archives.
  • Re-installed Elephant Man skeleton and re-installation of Courtauld Institute work.

 

 

OTHER RELEVANT PROJECTS, LONDON

July 2000-Present

 

  • Solely designed and built own house in Hackney which was nominated for RIBA award 2008, and short listed for Grand Designs Live
  • Numerous bespoke furniture commissions. Consultation, design, build and install;

STUDIES

UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE,  M.Phil. (Public Art& Design) 1988-9

 

GLOS. COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY, BA(HONS) Fine Art, Painting, 1984-87

 

NORWICH SCHOOL OF ART, Foundation, 1983-84

 

 

 

RUSSELL BAMBER