David Begbie United Kingdom, b. 1955
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David BegbieEROSE, 2024Red-painted stainless steel, suspended70 x 68 x 30 cm
27.56 x 26.77 x 11.81 in -
David BegbieFLEX, 2024Black-painted steel, freestanding54 x 20 x 12.5 cm
21.26 x 7.87 x 4.92 in -
David BegbieMANANGEL, 2024Copper-painted steelmesh54 x 54 x 13 cm
21.26 x 21.26 x 5.12 in -
David BegbieGRAPPOLOS, 2023Bronzemesh, copper colour140 x 100 x 40 cm
55.12 x 39.37 x 15.75 in -
David BegbieKOI large, 2023Triptych fish sculpture
Lacquered and suspended, copper painted steelmeshca. 210 x 220 x 30 cm
approx. 82.68 x 86.61 x 11.81 in -
David BegbieRROSSO, 2023Female torso, suspended, bright-red-painted steelmesh80 x 40 x 20 cm
31.5 x 15.75 x 7.87 in
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David BegbieMedaillion Chair AP 1, 2022Chair sculpture (DIOR)
Half-size scale 1-2
Gold-painted steel, freestanding55 x 25 x 23 cm
21.65 x 9.84 x 9.06 in
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David BegbieISIUU, 2019Steelmesh, rose-gold colour finish54 x 42 x 12.7 cm
21.26 x 16.54 x 5 in -
David BegbieCraw E, 2017Steelmesh and galvanised steel sculpture51 x 38 x 13.5 cm
20.1 x 15.0 x 5.3 in
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David BegbieAIRWAVE Maquette, 2016Dhow sculpture
Steelmesh, white140 x 110 x 35 cm
55.12 x 43.31 x 13.78 in
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David BegbieUNITED KINGDOM, 2014Union flag sculpture, steelmesh, suspended95 x 60 x 10 cm
37.4 x 23.62 x 3.94 in -
David BegbieNEUD II, 2009Copper-painted steelmesh, freestanding65 x 21 x 13 cm
25.59 x 8.27 x 5.12 in
More artworks available, please contact info@criscontinicontemporary.com
"Each work is an entity which has a far greater physical presence than any solid object could possibly have because it has the power to suggest that it doesn't exist."
Internationally renowned sculptor David Begbie has worked almost exclusively with the human form throughout his career. Since his first pioneering solo show in London 1984 a whole new genre of steelmesh art has emerged and continues to grow. He is the master of his medium wiremesh and his work speaks for itself.
David Begbie discovered the particular properties of steel and bronzemesh as an art student in 1977. Since then his work has been exhibited globally and has been an enormous inspiration to many people, including architects, designers, photographers, world of theatre and dance as well as to other artists. His sculpture is included in numerous museums, corporate and private art collections around the world.
Since his graduation in 1982 he has worked almost exclusively with the human form, although has often produced abstract composition alongside the figurative sculpture. Primarily sculpting in steel and bronze he also produces mono-prints, etchings, ink and charcoal drawings, mixed- media work and photographs, but it is for his distinctive wiremesh sculpture that Begbie is most renowned. David Begbie achieves fine sculpting detail of musculature and an aesthetic completeness of the human form. His subject has often been compared to Michelangelo and in particular to Rodin, as it is often that of the partial or truncated figure. Begbie’s simple diaphanous optically dynamic sculpture transcends classical forms and is profoundly contemporary.
The mesh is transparent – 90% thin air, yet it has a much greater physical presence than any conventional solid form. Begbie’s skill, perception, understanding, and imagination are succinctly and economically contained within the confines of the simple shell that constitutes each
sculpture. Look again closely and you see that there is not even a skin, only a graphic delineation of one. In relation to the space it occupies, the catalytic effect a Begbie’s sculpture has, given that it has no palpable substance or surface, is phenomenal.
The introduction of strategic lighting as an integral part of a particular composition has the most remarkable result where the combination of two and three dimensions, with the use of projected shadows, produces an optical fusion of image and object.
These sculptures focus on the dynamic optical qualities of the material itself and its interaction with specific or ambient light in suspended space. For the viewer the mesh material has intrigue yet is somehow familiar – the mesh creates a liveliness and sense of movement.
His sculptures are contemporary archetypal images using figurative physical forms made from steel-mesh and stainless steel. Encapsulated within these forms are a series of relationships between masculinity and femininity, positive and negative, matter and antimatter, light and dark. Furthermore, Begbie transforms industrial and discarded materials into beautiful artworks to emphasise the potential uses for and the importance of repurposing and recycling materials.
David Begbie is currently one of the most influent sculptor worldwide with solo shows in four continents and artworks exhibited in many museums like such as the National History Museum, London; the Galleria Nazionale di Arte Moderna, Rome; the National Gallery of Canberra, Australia; the Museum Beelden aan Zee, Holland; the National Gallery of Canada, as well as an extensive list of public, corporate and private commissions: the Natural History Museum of London; the Faith Dome of the Millennium Dome, Greenwich, UK; Buddha Bar, London; Citibank, London; The Hyatt Carlton, London; the Connaught Hotel, London; the Lowry Hotel, Manchester, UK; Hanover Grange, Montego Bay, Jamaïca.
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CRYPTIC 42
David Begbie at the Crypt Gallery London 8 - 16 Oct 2024*CRYPTIC 42* is an exhibition that encapsulates 42 years of David Begbie's creative journey, covering the period from 1982 to 2024. Curated by Pasquale Lettieri and Sandra Sanson, it will take place at the Crypt Gallery from the 8th to the 16th of October 2024.Read more -
David Begbie - STEEL LIVES
LDR22 Showroom Milan 18 Sep - 13 Dec 2024Steel Lives is the solo show by artist David Begbie, organised by LDR22 and realised in collaboration with Cris Contini Contemporary art gallery, curated by Jessica Tanghetti and coordinated by Sandra Sanson. LDR22 Showroom, Via Manin 13, Milan, from the 18th September to 13th December 2024, by appointments only.Read more -
David Begbie: Archetypes
Porto Montenegro Gallery 28 Jul - 14 Aug 2022Cris Contini Contemporary Gallery brings David Begbie's hand-made wire mesh sculptures to the splendid Boka Bay together with a corpus of new works in a gradient of light matter.Read more -
Amourphus
David Begbie | Il Salotto di Milano 7 - 25 Oct 2021The exhibition AMOURPHUS by David Begbie at Il Salotto di Milano Fromm the 7th to the 25th October 2021 organized by Cris Contini Contemporary shows David Begbie’s mastery of human anatomy. The artist refers to classical sculpture in the canons of beauty, but every anatomical detail - be it a torso, a hand, a foot - has also a powerful communicative force, a reflection of moments of melancholy, pain and sensuality.Read more
La mostra AMOURPHUS di David Begbie al Salotto di Milano dal 7 al 25 ottobre 2021 organizzata da Cris Contini Contemporary mostra la maestria di David Begbie nell'anatomia umana. L'artista si riferisce alla scultura classica nei canoni della bellezza, ma ogni dettaglio anatomico - sia esso un torso, una mano, un piede - ha anche una potente forza comunicativa, un riflesso di momenti di malinconia, dolore e sensualità.
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ArtVerona Digital 2020
4 - 14 Dec 2020This year Art Verona inaugurates its new digital format ART VERONA DIGITAL 2020. Do not miss Cris Contini Contemporary's selection, until 14th December.Read more -
BODY & MIND
David Begbie and Jeff Robb Sculpture and Photography 22 Mar - 3 May 2020We are very pleased to present the impressive exhibition of sculptor David Begbie and artist Jeff Robb. The body for them is the central theme of their research and development. The first contact for every human is being in touch with himself and his own body. This is how our body consciousness develops. The body envelops our self and helps us to get in touch with the outside world. Discover moreRead more
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Welcome to the Studio | David Begbie
May 31, 2020 -
David Begbie - Moon
December 30, 2020Cris Contini Contemporary is pleased to present David Begbie's new artwork 'Moon', 2020. David Begbie, internationally renowned sculptor, was born in Scotland and he started...Read more -
AMOURPHUS
David Begbie at Il Salotto di Milano October 12, 2021AMOURPHUS is the David Begbie' Solo Exhibition organized by Cris Contini Contemporary in Milan from the 7th to the 35th October 2021 at Il Salotto di Milano. The title of the new exhibition is a linguistic game that combines the term "amorphous" with the words "amour" and "us".Read more -
On Air | Studio Aperto | AMOURPHUS | David Begbie
Servizio di Federico Pini October 21, 2021