Simon Gaiger ARBS

My sculptures are made from wood, metal and the materials that I find around me. They are descriptions of the elements, forces and patterns within the landscape, natural and manmade, a synthesis of where these meet, clash or unify. Laid hedges, sea defences, harbours, old boundaries, disused railway lines. Places where the memory of man is recorded in nature influence me, as do mans engineered devices that steer or harness the elemental forces. Where nature bends to mans hand for a moment then turns and moves on.  References also come from my childhood in Africa and the South Pacific.

 

Many pieces have moveable parts or suggest a use, inviting the viewer to respond by re-arranging, touching or changing the form. Obviously tactile elements are either offered up or shielded. Colour is used simply, either to accentuate the play of light or as distinct colours to emphasize particular aspects.



BIOGRAPHY

1965: Born Banbury, UK. Moves to Uganda. From there spends childhood in Sudan,  Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Falkland Islands and Cornwall. Educated in various schools in the UK and abroad.


1983-1984:  Works as a shepherd and shipwrights assistant in the Falkland Islands

1984-1985:
West Surrey College of Art & Design

1987-1989:
Merrist Wood Agricultural College, trains in landscape construction.

1989-1994:
Sets up landscape design business, Designing and constructing commercial and domestic landscapes and gardens in Dorset and London. Also making sculpture and furniture.

1994:
Decides to concentrate solely on making sculpture and furniture. Exhibits widely in the UK and Europe. Makes work for private and public commissions.

2003: Move to Carmarthenshire, Wales.

2008: Elected to membership of the Royal British Society of Sculptors

 


EXHIBITIONS & GALLERIES

Current Galleries:  Simon Gaiger's work can be seen at Padstow Fine Art, Padstow, Cornwall, www.padstowfineart.co.uk, the Strand Gallery Aldeburgh, www.strandgallery.co.uk, St. Davids Studio Gallery St Davids, www.stdavidsstudiogallery.co.uk.

Forthcoming Exhibitions:

 

 Nov 2011 Flow Gallery, London

October 2011 PAD London 

July 2011 Adam Gallery, Cork Street, London

Exhibitions

Stilnovo, Copenhagen 2010

St Davids Studio Gallery, St Davids 2010

Strand Gallery Aldeburgh 2010

St Dogmaels Gallery, Cardigan 2009

Oriel Myrddin Gallery, Carmarthen 2009
'Art Amsterdam' collaboration with John O'Carroll, 2009
'Simon Gaiger New Works, Padstow Contemporary Art 2008
'Ambient Light', Artspace 3, Amsterdam 2008
Coterie, Haverfordwest 2007-2009
'Craft In The Bay', Cardiff 2005-2007
Crafts at Bovey Tracey, Devon 2006
L'Orient Festival Interceltique, Brittany, France. 2006
Black Swan Gallery, Frome , Somerset. 2006
'Kunst Rai', collaboration with John O'Carroll, Amsterdam 2006
'Kunst Rai', collaboration with John O'Carroll, Amsterdam 2005
'Groen en Hout', collaboration with John O'Carroll, Haarlem, Holland. 2005
'Krieger & Katwijk, collaboration with John O'Carroll Amsterdam. 2004
Cambridge Contemporary Craft, Cambridge
New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, Surrey
Cider Press Gallery, Dartington, Devon with Guy Martin, Matthew Burt and Andrea Stemmer. 1997