RUTH CLAXTON
'Nest' (Yellow Hood), 2007. Welded and painted steel, mirror and smoked glass, found figurine, Fimo, 33 x 68 x 43 cm
More Images
Exhibition: Lands End, 2009
Exhibition: Flock, 2007
Exhibition: A Place of Rainbows, 2006
Reviews and Articles
Biography
Born in 1971 in Ipswich, UK.
Lives and works in Birmingham, UK 2007 - Spike Island Residency, Bristol
2000/02 - MA Sculpture, Royal College of Art, London, UK
1990-93 - BA Hons Fine Art, Nottingham Trent University, UK
Solo exhibitions
2016 - In Intimacy New Solitudes, New Art Gallery Walsall
2016 - Nomadic Vitrine, Recent Activity, Birmingham
2013 - Specular Spectacular, Pippy Houldsworth, London
2013 - Synthetic Worlds (Two Women), Grundy Gallery, Blackpool, UK. Piece permanently sited in the gallery, commissioned with the Contemporary Art Society
2012 - Ocularspectacular (Seated Peasant), The Box, Pippy Houldsworth, London
2011 - Postcards, Small Collections, Nottingham Contemporary, UK
2011 - Title TBC, Small Collections, Nottingham Contemporary (Autumn)
2011 - Synthetic Worlds, SITE Santa Fe
2009 - Lands End, Faye Fleming & Partner, Geneva
2009 - Lands End, Spike Island, Bristol
2009 - Lands End, The Grundy Art Gallery, Blackpool
2008 - Lands End, Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown, Powys
2008 - Lands End, IKON, Birmingham (cat.)
2008 - Interventions Barber Institute, Birmingham
2008 - Postcards, Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh
2007 - Legerdemains, Cabinet Magazine, New York
2006 - A place of Rainbows, ARQUEBUSE, Geneva
2004 - I thought I was the Audience and then I looked at You, University Gallery, Colchester
2004 - I thought I was the Audience and then I looked at You, Taxi Gallery, Cambridge
2003 - I thought I was the Audience and then I looked at You, BA window project space, Birmingham
2000 - I am Big I am Oscar, Space Banana, Birmingham
Public Works
2012 - Rainbow Flock, Royal London Hospital, commissioned by Vital Arts
2011-12 - House of Beasts, Attingham Park, commissioned by Meadow Arts
2010 - And my Eyes Danced, Wonders of Weston, commissioned by Situations and Field Art Projects, Weston Super-Mare
Selected group exhibitions
2018 - Blue Hour, Gowen Contemporary, Geneva, CH
2018 - Nature's presence, Birmingham Museum, Birmingham, UK
2016 - Life of Clay: Experimental Practice at Grymsdyke Farm, RIBA, London
2016 - Some are Nights Others Stars, Towner Gallery, Eastbourne
2016 - Recent Activity, Birmingham
2016 - In Intimacy New Solitudes, New Art Gallery, Walsall
2015 - Studio Capri, Syson Gallery, Nottingham
2015 - Oculist Witness: According to Duchamp, Harris Museum and Art Gallery, Preston
2015 - Found, The New Art Gallery Walsall
2014 - Back to the Future, Festival of Light, Longbridge, Birmingham
2014 - Morphisation, APT Studios and Gallery, London
2014 - Speaking Space - If buildings were sentient, Collyer Bristow, London, Curated by Day + Gluckman
2014 - Rift/Riff, Baltic39, Newcastle Upon Tyne
2014 - The Postcard is a Public Work of Art, X Marks the Bökship, London
2012 - The Unseen, Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Contemporary Art, China
2012 - Dawn Chorus, Leeds Art Gallery, Leeds
2012 - The Artists' Postcards Show, Spike Island, Bristol
2011 - Caprice, Galleria Paoula Curti, Milan
2011 - Versions and Diversions, Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin
2011 - Ruinenelust, Perrots Folly, Birmingham
2011 - House of Beasts, Attingham, curated by Meadow Arts
2010 - Remake-Remodel, National Glass Centre, Sunderland
2010 - Undone, Henry Moore Institute, Leeds
2010 - Contemporary Eye: Crossovers, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester
2010 - Daybreakers, John Hansard Gallery, Southampton
2010 - The Figurine Dialogue, curated by Pävi Ernkvist, Crystal Palace, Stockholm
2009 - Artisterium, 2nd Tbilisi International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Georgia
2009 - Trade CityExcocet and Contemporary Art Manchester, Manchester
2009 - Know UnknownGallery Loop, Seoul
2009 - GothicContemporary Art Society fundraising exhibition, Sothebys, London
2009 - Back of the Head Cooper Gallery, Dundee
2009 - Fantopia, Mother’s Tankstation, Dublin
2008 - Make Believe, Concrete and Glass Festival, Shoreditch, London
2008 - The Krautcho Club / In and Out of Place, Forgotten Bar Project, Berlin
2007 - Zoo Art Fair, London with Arquebuse and Strategic Questions
2007 - The Islanders, Nettie Horn, London
2007 - Decadence, Decay and the Demimonde, Homehouse, London
2007 - An Archaeology, Project Space 176, London
2007 - Ruth Claxton, Marie-France & Patricia Martin, Paulette Phillips, Danielle Arnaud, London
2007 - Self-Effaced: Ruth Claxton, Dave Miko, Geerten Verheus, FA Projects, London
2007 - Strategic Questions, Venice, curated by Gavin Wade, 52nd Venice Biennale, Isola di San Servolo, Venice, Italy
2007 - Extreme Crafts, CAC, Vokieciu, Vilnius, Lithuania
2007 - Flock Arquebuse, Geneva
2007 - Citadel, David Risley Gallery, London
2007 - Salon 2007, Art Work Productions, London
2007 - Things we lost in the fire, The City Gallery, Leicester
2007 - Art Futures, Bloomberg Space, London
2007 - Paradise, public art project, Birmingham
2006 - Jaggy Edge, Travelling Gallery, Scotland
2006 - London Elsewhere, Gallery Bernard Knaus, Mannheim
2006 - Things we lost in the fire, Transition, London
2006 - The Birmingham School of Business School, Colony, Birmingham
2006 - Ruth Claxton and Amy Marletta, The Collective, Edinburgh
2006 - Drawing Links, The Drawing Room, London; toured to International 3, Manchester and Outpost, Norwich (cat.)
2006 - Brownfields Lounge, London; toured to MAC, Birmingham
2005 - Globalocal, NAB, Birmingham
2005 - All at once and all together at the same time, Colony, Birmingham
2005 - Discomfort, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham (cat.)
2005 - Orphan, Vane, Newcastle upon Tyne
2005 - The Doppler Effect – The Questions Archive, residency with Kelly Large, Ocular Lab, Melbourne
2005 - The Rudiments of Ornamental Composition, LOT, Bristol
2004 - Commonground, Artsway, Hampshire
2004 - The Doppler Effect part 1, (collaboration with Sandra Bridie) Ocular Lab, Melbourne
2004 - Crystal Peaks, S1 Projects, Sheffield
2004 - Pilot 1, Limehouse Town Hall, London
2004 - Clash, City Space, Birmingham, (cat.)
2004 - XS, fa Projects, London
2003 - Cabinet of Curiosities, Curating Contemporary Art Department, Royal College of Art, London
2003 - Cultivate, commissioned site-specific piece, Oak House, West BromwichEast International, selected by Toby Webster and Eva Rothschild, Norwich Gallery, (cat.)
2003 - Wunderkammer, Custard Factory, Birmingham
2003 - Mostyn 13, Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno, (cat.)
2003 - We are Relentless, Custard Factory, Birmingham
2002 - Site-specific installation, British Council Project, Museum of Art and Antiquities, Khartoum, Sudan
2002 - Art in the Garden, Chelsea Physic Garden, London
2002 - The Show 1, Royal College of Art, London
2001 - Incorporated, Atrium Gallery, Embankment Place, London
2001 - One day all this will be yours, Royal College of Art, London
2000 - Young Sculptors from the West Midlands, Jerwood Sculpture Park, Whitley Court
1999 - Books and Multiples, B16, Birmingham
1998 - Drawing Open, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal
Publications
2009 - Collective 1984-2009. Pub. Revolver VVV and Collective Gallery Edinburgh
2008 - Ruth Claxton: Lands End. Texts by Sally O'Reilly, Jonathan Watkins and Marie Anne Mcquay. Pub. IKON Gallery, Birmingham
2008 - Fragiles. Pub De Gestalten Verlag
2008 - Furnish. Pub De Gestalten Verlag
2006 - Generator 1 amd 2. Text by Gavin Wade and Sally Shaw. Pub Article Press
2006 - Uber die Sinne. Pub Oberosterreichisghe Landmuseum, Linz
2006 - Becks Futures, text by Clare Doherty. Pub ICA London
2006 - Drawing Links, text by Helen Legg. Pub. The Drawing Room, London
2004 - Ruth Claxton: I thought I was the Audience and then I looked at You, text by Helen Legg. Pub. University of Essex
2003 - East International, text by Linda Morris catalogue. Pub Norwich Gallery
2003 - Mostyn 13. Pub Oriel Mostyn, Llandudno
Bibliography
2011 - Kitamura, Katie, Synthetic Worlds review, SITE Santa Fe, Frieze July/Aug
2010 - Reviews - Dawnbreakers a-n magazine, September
2010 - Wonders of Weston. Front Row. Radio 4. 06/08
2009 - Looking Back: Emerging Artists nominated by Mike Stanley. Frieze, Jan/ Feb
2008 - Urwin Jones, Sarah, Sight Specific. The Herald, 01/11
2008 - Front cover and artists story. a-n magazine, October
2008 - Schwabsky, Barry, Ruth Claxton IKON Gallery. Art Forum, Sept
2008 - Clarke, Robert, Preview Postcards, Ingleby Gallery. Guardian Guide 29/03
2008 - New Work: Ruth Claxton. Art World Magazine, June
2008 - Khan, Eve, Mangle with Care. ID Magazine, (New York)
2008 - Pitt, Nathaniel, Two Artists, One Day. Art of England Magazine, April
2008 - Clark, Robert, Preview Lands End at IKON Gallery. Guardian Guide 29/03
2008 - Shaw, Emma, Ceramics and Installation. Ceramics Review, Jan/Feb
2007 - Ruth Claxton, Legerdemains, Le Cabinet Magazine, issue 26/Magic
2007 - Price, Matt, Out there – Contemporary Artists From The West Midlands, New
Art Birmingham, Fused Magazine, March issue
2006 - Generator 1 + 2 New International Curatorial Research, pub. Article Press
2006 - Artists Profiles: Ruth Claxton, Garageland, issue 2 (p.52), pub. Transition
2006 - Becks Futures 2006, pub. ICA, (cat.)
2006 - Drawing Links, text by Helen Legg, pub. The Drawing Room, (cat.)
2005 - James, Sarah, The Rudiments of Ornamental Composition, Art Monthly, Mayissue
2005 - Trigg, David, The Rudiments of Ornamental Composition, a-n Magazine, May
2005 - Withers, Jane, Breaking the mould, Wallpaper, May
2004 - I thought I was the Audience and then I looked at You, essay by Helen Legg, pub. University of Essex, (cat.)
2003 - Kyriacou, Sotiris, East International, Contemporary, issue 56
2003 - Smith, Dan, East International, Art Monthly, September‘East International’, essay by Lynda Morris, pub. Norwich Gallery, (cat.)
2003 - Mostyn13, pub. Oriel Mostyn, (cat.)
2003 - Wunderkammer, Simon Webb Metro, 8 April
2002 - Richards, Mark, Art in the Garden, Garden Design Journal, Dec/Jan 2003
Projects and other activity
2011 - Associate Director, Eastside Projects, Birmingham
2009 - Residency, Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Lumsden
2009 - Sculpture Show, Eastside Projects, co-curated with Gavin Wade
2007 - Company Director, Eastiside Projects, Birmingham
2004-11 Lecturer, BA Art & Design, Birmingham City University
2008 - Mentor, BCAF, Bristol
2007-8 Visiting Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University
2007 - SW Arts Residency, Spike Island, Bristol
2007 - Workshop leader, British Council Project, Damascus, Syria
2006-8 Pub Conversations, Birmingham (as part of Self Service) www.pubconversations.jelly.com/podcasts/feed/2
2005-7 Mentor, Commissions East, Cambridge
2006 - Alexsandra Mir and Robert Orchardson, IPS Bournville, co-curated with Gavin Wade, September
2006 - Sandra Bridie and the Questions Archive, IPS Bournville, co-curated with Kelly Large
2005 - Albrecht Schäfer and Michael Stumpf, IPS Bournville, co-curated with Gavin
Wade
2005 - Doppler Effect, project developed between UK and Australia with Kelly Large
2005 - Commissions East, Cambridge
2004 - Member of Self-Service Planning Group, developing and organising events which explore, map and discuss artist-led activity and its role in Birmingham
2004 - Member of Centre for Fine Art Research Group, University of Central England, Birmingham
Writings
2005 - Trading places commissioned article, [an] collection series2004 - December Artists Story, [an] magazine
2003 - Khartoum Challenge article, [an] magazine, May
2003 - Firing the Imagination in Khartoum article, British Council News, Feb/March
Awards
2006 - Arts Council England, West Midlands, Grants for the arts (development of new work)2005 - Arts Council England, West Midlands, Grants for the arts (Melbourne residency and project development)
2004 - Arts Council England, West Midlands, Grants for the arts (exhibition production and catalogue)
2003-04 - Arts Council England, West Midlands, Creative Ambition Award
2002 - Lattice Award, cross-college award for MA show
2000-02 - Royal College of Art, London, Bursary
2000 - West Midlands Arts, Creative Ambition Award
1994 - East Midlands Arts, Artists in Schools
Collections
The Frank Cohen Collection, UKZabludowicz Collection, UK