Background
Robert has always been interested in all things mechanical, as demonstrated by his experiments at the age of 6, with the family car which he tried to dismantle. A sculpture exhibition by Giacometti when he was 13 confirmed to him that what he wanted to do was 'make sculpture.' He had his first exhibition at high school and went on to study sculpture at Kingston School of Art and Design, Kingston Polytechnic and gained an MA in Fine Art Sculpture at Slade School of Fine Art, University College London.
Trained in stone carving, ceramics, metal working and welding, Robert often works in wrought and welded bronze, stainless steel, and copper alloys. Robert’s work is internationally renowned and he has exhibited widely, in Japan, Europe, Great Britain, and the USA. He has many works in corporate and private collections around the world.
Award-winning work
Robert’s sculptures have won numerous awards. The Hakone Open Air Museum of Sculpture (Japan) awarded his sculpture ‘Sky Thought’ the maquette of excellence, at the International Sculpture Biennale, 1992.
The Royal British Society of Sculptors awarded his sculpture ‘Quintisection’ (a massive stainless steel sculpture sited in Durham, Sunderland) the 1994 International Sir Otto Beit Award for ‘The most outstanding new public sculpture worldwide’.
In 1996 his landmark sculpture ‘Roll Down’ sited at Bilston, West Midlands, was nominated for the Anderson Sculpture Prize. And in 1999 he represented Great Britain at the European City of Culture Sculpture Symposium, ‘A Sea of Steel’, hosted by Holland. Of the 12 participating countries, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands awarded his steel sculpture, ‘White Rhythm’ weighing 13.5 tons, first prize. The sculpture is sited permanently in the sculpture park of Week aan Zee.
Landmark sculptures
Robert has created numerous monumental landmark sculptures throughout the UK, and Europe, relating to people, and industrial contexts. In the summer of 2000 Robert completed the landmark sculpture ‘Power Rhythm’ for the City of Peterborough, a 45 ft high stainless steel monolith.
The Courtauld Institute, London, and the Public Monuments and Sculptures Association, recently awarded Robert’s public and landmark sculptures, the status of permanent public monuments. This is an acknowledgement of his contribution, to the heritage and culture of the nation.
Current work
Robert is a visiting lecturer at the Frink School of Figurative Sculpture, Stoke on Trent. His interests are varied and the automotive world and objects of engineering still hold a fascination for him.
Presently Robert is undertaking a sculpture commissioned by the World Headquarters of ORT, (Organisation for Rehabilitation and Training) London, and a major public sculpture for the regeneration of Tunstall, Stoke on Trent. In addition to the creation of his ongoing sculptures, Robert is also developing design products for a forthcoming exhibition commissioned for orthopaedic and neurological care.