Simon Allen 'Shadow Forms'

S I M O N A L L E N S H A D O W F O R M S

Making “Nothing” Visible
Shadow Forms
Wildness is elusive. It can be found in the spaces between things,
in emptiness, in the wind, or in the energy of a wave. It is chaotic
and undefinable, its presence is felt intuitively, rather than being
able to be grasped or seen like a tangible object. In this wild force
there is a freedom and a beauty. Simultaneously it makes me
aware of the forces which shape the natural world, while at the
same time I am completely at one with them. Present. To quote
Jackson Pollock, “I am nature”.
In these recent works I am creating a space where the relationship
between gesture and forms can be explored. Where the line is a
result of the meeting of two forms, and where shadows have the
same visual weight as solid form.
It is very important to me that the work as an object takes on
an active role, that it physically changes with the shifting light,
or the angle at which it is viewed. I am seeking a sense of
balance between a transitory, mutable experience, and the physical
presence of the object.
Simon Allen. 2015
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Bird Flight 1 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 55 x 55 cm
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Bird Flight 2 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 55 x 55 cm

Bird Flight 3 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 55 x 55 cm
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Seascape 1 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 112 x 112 cm

Seascape 2 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 112 x 112 cm
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Seascape 3 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 100 x 100 cm

Seascape 4 . caplan gold leaf on carved wood . 100 x 100 cm
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Shadow Form 1 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 2 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 3 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 4 . 12 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 5 . palladium leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 6 . palladium leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 7 . palladium leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 8 . palladium leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 9 . 6 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 10 . 6 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 11 . 6 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 12 . 6 carat white gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 13 . caplan gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 14 . caplan gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Shadow Form 15 . caplan gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm

Shadow Form 16 . caplan gold leaf on carved wood . 40 x 40 cm
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Simon Allen’s dynamically carved wood, gilded wall sculptures,
draw on an awareness of diverse aspects from the natural world.
Simon Allen’s dynamically carved wood, gilded wall sculptures,
The draw carving on an stage awareness is physical of diverse and expressive. aspects from The the rhythmically natural world.
rippling surfaces, swooping undulations and swirling peaks and
troughs represent the trace elements of a physical carving
The carving stage is physical and expressive. The rhythmically
process that has its own bodily rhythm. By contrast, the
rippling surfaces, swooping undulations and swirling peaks and
painstaking application of gesso and ‘bole’ — the gilder’s ground
formed
troughs
from
represent
clay and pigment
the trace
—
elements
and the gentle
of a
brushing
physical
on
carving
and process burnishing that of has precious its own leaf bodily call rhythm. on a more By contemplative contrast, the painstaking cast
of mind. application of gesso and ‘bole’ — the gilder’s ground formed from
clay and pigment — and the gentle brushing on and burnishing of
It is precious the tension leaf call between on a more these contemplative two modes of cast awareness of mind. that
gives the finished works their singular meditative presence.
Works It is combine the tension an almost between kinetic these sculptural two energy modes with of awareness a surface that
that gives subtly the responds finished to works ambient their colour singular and meditative light. presence. Works
combine an almost kinetic sculptural energy with a surface that
Born in Bristol, Simon Allen gained a Fine Art degree at Falmouth
subtly responds to ambient colour and light.
College of Art. Based in Cornwall, he is an elected member
of the Newlyn Society of Artists and has had numerous solo
exhibitions
Allen’s sculptures
in the UK
have
and
had
USA
much
including
success worldwide
at The National
and are in a
Maritime number Museum, of collections Falmouth, including Messums The World on Cork Gold Street, Council and in London, at
Galerie Washington Pelar in and New New York. York, The Ritz - Carlton hotel in Hong Kong,
The British Embassy in Madrid, The Connaught and Corinthia
Allen’s Hotels sculptures in London, have as had well much as banks success such worldwide as Coutts and & Co are and in RBA,
a number and investment of collections companies including such The as Schroders World Gold and BC Council Partners. in
London, Washington and New York, The Ritz - Carlton hotel in
Hong Kong, The British Embassy in Madrid, The Connaught and
Corinthia Hotels in London, as well as banks such as Coutts &
Co and RBA, and investment companies such as Schroders and
BC Partners.

Published by Millennium to coincide with the exhibition ‘Shadow Forms’ by Simon Allen
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