British sculptor, Alex Chinneck, relocates to Ashford and unveils his latest installation
Posted on 17 October 2018British sculptor and installation artist, Alex Chinneck, has recently relocated his studio from Hackney to Brook village. Swapping the fast pace of East London for the quieter rural appeal of the outskirts of Ashford, Alex has experienced a new burst of creativity.
As soon as he made the decision to move his studio Alex knew that he wanted to relocate to somewhere in Kent. He considered moving into an old nightclub in Margate, but chose Ashford for its proximity to both London and the coast. The rural location of Brook works for his growing family but also for his own sculptural ambition.
Alex is confident that his decision to move to Ashford is the right one: “Initially I was slightly worried that I would lose energy moving from London, but actually I have been reenergised. Ashford allows what London doesn’t as there is so much more space – both head space and physical space, which is great for my creativity.
“There are some brilliant tradesmen and craftsmen in the local area, who we are already building relationships with and no doubt there will be more to make in the future.
“We have joined Ashford at a really exciting time when its urban ambition is in its infancy. We are hoping to contribute to the momentum of the growth and development of the area with our work.”
Alex has also recently unveiled his latest installation at the old tannery site in Ashford. ‘Open to the public’ sees the walls of a building due for demolition unzipped to reveal its derelict interior.
He was initially approached by renowned architects, Guy Holloway, who are designing the new development at the old tannery site. Alex was then introduced to U&I, who commissioned him for the piece. The original concept was for a hoarding, but when Alex saw the building he knew that’s what he wanted to work with.
“Initially I was slightly worried that I would lose energy moving from London, but actually I have been reenergised. Ashford allows what London doesn’t as there is so much more space – both head space and physical space, which is great for my creativity.”
Alex Chinneck, Sculptor
Alex said: “There is sculptural freedom with a building due for demolition. I have a fascination with warping the world around us and bending things that shouldn’t be bent, which is definitely true of this piece.”
“I’m always keen to conceive artwork based on the narrative of the area in which it is based. My inspiration for ‘Open to the public’ came from the history and association with the textiles and leather industry. My main aim of the piece was to create an impact and I’d like to think we achieved this as there were 152 media articles by the afternoon on the day of the launch.”
Expect more artwork from Alex Chinneck in the local area, he has recently announced that his new project will be a loop-de-loop bridge over the River Stour in Ashford.
