CHRIS CAMPBELL TALKS GOES AROUND SCULPTURE

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

What dialogue are you hoping to evoke with this piece?

‘Goes around’ is part of a collection I’m currently working on that combines masculine figures with contrasting feminine elements. It opens up a conversation about femininity and masculinity and how these socially constructed ideas have changed as social norms and expectations have developed throughout the centuries. Similarly to trends in fashion that often move in cycles overtime.

What are your thoughts on the shift to digital exhibitions and platforms. While they reach a larger audience, do you have concerns about viewers experiencing your work without its full dimensionality?

Personally I would prefer an audience to be able to view my work in person mainly because I spend a lot of time developing poses and compositions that can be enjoyed from all angles. Having said that, I think that digital technology nowadays has become so advanced that virtual viewing of art work has been able to become a lot more interactive than just looking at still images on a screen. And I am also a big believer that art should be able to be enjoyed by everyone, so to have easy access online to view my work would be great for anyone unable to see the work in person for whatever reason. But I do think a lot of the power and inspiration art can give people can be diminished if not seen in person, I think most things in life are better experienced first hand rather than through a screen.

How did your art journey begin, when did you realize you wanted to create?

I had always been a creative kid, I would often stay inside and draw while others played outside. I think I always knew I was going to be an artist of some kind, it was never really a question. But I struggled to figure out my specific path till a bit later on when I was deciding what to study at university.

What got you into sculpting?

I got more into sculpting when I went to university to study technical arts and special effects, I hadn’t really sculpted much before then but picked it up really quickly and "found my calling" I guess you could say.

How would you describe your creative process. Do you plan your work in advance, or thrive in the spontaneity of improvisation?

Sculpture’s a hard one, especially figurative sculpture, because there’s a big technical side to it that requires a lot of planning, so there’s not much room to be spontaneous in my work. I will usually have a concept and rough idea of a pose I want to express that through. I then need to then source an appropriate model and build armatures and maquettes before I can begin the sculpting process.

Do you mostly work by hand or with computers now?

I solely work by hand at the moment, I would love to work with computers at some point in my work. I plan to scan and 3D print my sculptures to a smaller scale in the next few years, making them more accessible and affordable to a wider market.

Are your sculptures based on actual, real-life models?

I will usually use real models as references, I’ll take multiple images of them from various angles and take accurate measurements to work from. I’m often not trying to perfectly replicate the model, I sometimes like the figure to be unknown as its not always necessary for the message I’m trying to convey.

Why is art important?

I think art always finds a way to weave itself into every aspect of our lives whether people notice it or not. I think a lot of people just think that the art lives in galleries but in truth it’s everywhere and I think without it would make a massive difference to how we live our lives. I think art of any kind is more than just a luxury, I think it's a necessity.