Saturday 19 February 2011

David Nash - Force of Nature

David Nash - seen here
















If you haven't caught it yet, do take an hour to watch this beautiful documentary, Force of Nature about North Wales sculptor David Nash screened on BBC Four this week (only available to view until Wednesday 2 March) . The work of Culture Colony's Pete Telfer, the documentary is the result of the long working relationship Pete has had with Nash, and the lovely direction of the piece reflects that deep affinity and knowledge of the processes, the work and the man himself.


David Nash - Oculus - Image Courtesy of YSP - photographer Jonty Wilde
© Jonty Wilde

Nash's work has such authority, such enviable focus and continuity. There is nothing artificial, nothing pretentious about it. Straightforward and poetic, the curator of work for his current show at The Yorkshire Sculpture Park talks about the monumental piece Oculus as 'calligraphic', Zen-like in it's way of being, and I feel that is a feature of so much of Nash's work. It is - it is meant to be - it could not be anything other than that which it is.


6 comments:

  1. Saw his exhibition at the YSP when we were in England this summer - breathtakingly beautiful and moving - the whole family loved it.

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  2. Oh fabulous - I didn't see it and it finishes 27 Feb, so probably won't make it :-( Saw his show at the ill fated Cardiff Centre for Visual Arts many moons ago where they kind of recreated the chapel on the ground floor - yes, 'moving' is a good word...

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  3. Thanks for reminding me to watch the programme. I've been to see bits of the exhinition three times and it made a big impression on me. Watching Nash speak about his work really added to the experience.

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  4. Thanks Alice. He speaks with such uncomplicated passion, it's very inspirational I think.

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  5. David Nash is a dying breed among artists today. The respect he has for the material he uses is inspirational, and certainly pays off - he allows himself to trust that, with a little guidance from the creator, the creation will take care of itself. In doing so he gives his organic forms the opportunity to display their intrinsic beauty... and beautiful they are.

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  6. Thanks Rachel-Emily. Absolutely! 'Respect' is the important word there I think...

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