richard stone

Stone’s marble works are a natural conclusion to his ephemeral and alchemical forms wrought out of clay. Figures are given permanence in a material rich in translucency and historical association, meaning each sculpture brings with it a unique narrative that unfolds to the viewer in real time.

from clay

Working from his Dalston studio, Stone begins with a clay maquette, which becomes a keystone in his intuitive process. “I work directly with the clay, like a drawing, one fold and form leading to another, until these flow with figurative and abstract elements, one collapsing into the other.”

Evocative Forms

Rich in classical and contemporary references, each work brings Stone’s unique viewpoint into view, crystallising it timelessly. A white flag of surrender and resurrection captures the current turmoil of the nation state, whilst a bird rising in rapture nods to transformation. Elsewhere, sentinels and abstract dancers are caught somewhere between the earthly and the spiritual, the ground and the sky.

look closer

While the immediate impression of Stone’s work is one of material sensuality, the experience deepens upon further examination. Look closer and further details emerge, there is life in every fold and form. Each sculpture purposefully evokes something new at each turn of perspective, a complexity held in harmony with simplicity.

artigiani tradition

Stone has been working with master artigiani in Pietrasanta since 2014, bringing an intergenerational understanding of the craft and together with modern methods of making. “Collaboration for me is key to ensure each work is an authentic as well as a beautifully crafted expression of my artistic vision.”