WORK OF THE WEEK: Clive Barker, Vase (Column), 1975

Clive Barker
Vase (Column), 1975
Oak and mahogany
124.5 x 37 x 22 cm
4ft 1 x 1ft 2 ½ x 8 ⅝ in.

Vase (Column) (1975) is a unique carving in rich mahogany and oak. It is one of only 7 wood carvings that Clive Barker has made. The vase, a decorative household ornament, is a motif that Barker frequently returns to in his practice, and in this case is rendered an imitation of its original inspiration.

Born in 1940 in Luton, Clive Barker is considered both a Pop Artist and a Surrealist. He is well known for his predominant use of chrome, bronze and highly polished aluminium to depict sculptural representations of ordinary everyday objects. This use of reflective metal provides culturally recognisable items with an unaccustomed glamour and luster. His work represents the bridge between art and industry.

Clive Barker studied at Luton College of Technology and Art from 1957 to 1959. After leaving art school he worked in the Vauxhall Motors factory with his father, on the assembly line. While working in motor engineering, he recognised the sculptural qualities of industrially finished objects, particularly in leather and chrome plated metal. In 1961, Barker moved to London where he worked as an assistant to the artist Richard Smith, which kickstarted the creation of his primary sculptures. From 1966 he began to regularly exhibit at the Robert Fraser Gallery and at Anthony d’Offay, London.

Clive Barker’s work resides in numerous public and private collections, including the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington D.C.,USA; the Städtische Kunsthalle, Mannheim; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; and the Tate, the V&A, the National Portrait Gallery, and the British Museum, London.