Richard Oliver is a Suffolk based sculptor. His work carries a strong narrative around feelings and reflections upon Life.
He is currently working upon a series of ‘Hollow Head’ sculptures. These remove all the recognisable and relatable visual effects of the face. Instead by creating a void, the intention is to invoke the hollow empty interior space that is a part of the human experience often felt most vividly, during times of loss. These heads still portray the echo of emotions via their gesture and poise. The artist writes: “I try to capture ‘that moment’ of contemplation, the pause before or as we engage in, the burdens of thought.”
The highly polished bronze heads intentionally function as a reflective mirror which also invites the viewer to contemplate and self-reflect.
Richard was born and grew up in the Northeast of England. The first 25 years of his professional life were spent in industry as a sheetmetal worker/ventilation fitter. During this time, his many and various locations for installations found him working in places where Art was to be found on the walls. Unspoken, he was drawn to these and would find private moments to look and digest what was on show. These times fed his gradual realisation that his working life was a dissatisfaction. In an unusual and bold move, he enrolled to study Glass and Ceramics at Sunderland University, gaining a degree and then a Masters in Ceramics.
In 2019, Richard moved to Suffolk and joined an artists’ studio complex near Snape. These studios include an artist-run bronze foundry. This was an instant curiosity to him and a spontaneous love of bronze naturally deepened. For Richard, working with bronze is instinctive and intuitively felt. Somewhat uniquely, having access to the foundry on site at his studio, Richard can create and use his specialist skills throughout the entire process of casting the “Hollow Head” bronzes.
Richard has exhibited throughout the UK, including in 2023 ‘Dirty Works’ alongside artists Ryan Gander, Clare Twomey MBE, and William Cobbing. Most recently in the exhibition ‘As Self As Self As’ 2024 with the painters Paul Benney, Anna Ilsley, and others. He has also facilitated work for international artists including Anthony Gormley, Sarah Lucas, and Magdalene Odundo.
