G estures, London 2022 will unveil Joseph Walsh’s Gestures series, a new body of work which is functional and yet boldly sculptural, influenced by the experience of realising the monumental Magnus works in recent years. In this new series, Joseph Walsh explores the gestural line and the tactility of form, applying the technique of lamination to create singular, expressive bold lines. Each work is a completely unique free form composition, designed to sit together in harmony as an exhibition and yet to stand alone as both a sculptural and functional work.
“There is no rush to create the perfect piece. It’s more about creating a set of circumstances where I can achieve a perfect rhythm. I think that’s when something really special emerges. (...) In the studio, each day is new: ideas evolving, techniques developing and pieces emerging”
The Gestures series emerged over the last three years, beginning with charcoal sketches. Walsh translates these sketches into scale model studies in wood, through a process of cutting the material into layers and rebuilding its thickness through an additive process. The artwork is then carved and sculpted to create an uninterrupted sculptural form. Finally, the artworks are finished in ebonised black, a process that references the original charcoal sketches.
“Gestures is the apt title of one new body of work: low-slung shapes that unfold in space, opening up and turning back on themselves.”
Joseph Walsh’s work reflects his passion for expression through material and form. From monumental scale sculptures to one-of-a-kind site-specific commissions and collectible design editions, every piece within his dynamic body of work reveals an intuitive relationship with making, a sympathetic use of materials and an expressive engagement with form.
