Contact
Richard John Forbes, Visual Artist
28 Cathedral Street
George 6529
Western Cape, South Africa
+27 (0)72 223 1460
richard@richardjforbes.com
1970/02/08
Biography Richard John Forbes lives and works in George, South Africa Richard John Forbes Born 1970- Johannesburg Forbes is a multi disciplinary artist with a central focus on sculpture. He creates sculpture,land, furniture, Stage sets, architecture, drawing, print and film and food. His work is at once subtle and bold; grounded and ethereal, ancient and modern. Constantly exploring materiality through his own hands. Nature and its wonders guides his craft.
He discovered the impact of scale as a restorer of historic architecture in the United Kingdom, his practice considers space in the urban and natural landscape while internal light and cavernous volumes have made a huge impression on his art works.
He maintains a restored heritage barn as his studio next to the Outeniqua mountains, in the western Cape, in South Africa.. His process drives his practice. A strong emphasis is placed on physical engagement in his work. Craft, Place and time. |
This attention can be seen and experienced clearly in the textures, layers, and exploration of form translated from his hands into his work. «I am interested in the veil suspended between all things, the charged film of atmosphere is filled with potential; feuling the curiousity and compulsion to gain experience with many different media and this toolbox of multiple disciplines allows me to explore.”
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Residencies / Workshops:
QUALIFICATIONS
1996 Apprenticeship as English Heritage Architectural Stone Restorer under master Paul Carter at David Ball Restoration Ltd.
1991 Apprenticeship with Guy DuToit in bronze sculpting and pouring in Pretoria, South Africa.
1989 National School of the Arts, Johannesburg. Graduated with a 1st in painting and sculpture, 2nd in drawing and photography.
Residencies / Workshops
2023 Nirox Foundation, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa – carved 25 rose quartz sculptures over 35 days
2021 Modern Art Projects (MAP), South Africa – bookbinding residency
2020 MAP – restoration and conversion of installation space for Black Room
2019 Nirox Foundation
2018 Alps Art Academy, Switzerland
2017 Matadero Madrid / El Ranchito residency, Spain
2016 Nirox Foundation
2014 Nirox Foundation
Projects / Commissions
2018 Stage and set design for Florence, a play by Myer Taub directed by Greg Homann, performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg
2017
Stage and set designs for The Suit by Can Themba, directed by James Ncgobo, performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg
Spire – petroglyph made from rare South African white marble, for the Jade Hamburger collection at the Enrico Daffonchio house in Johannesburg, a Bauhaus-style architectural landmark designed by architect Douglas Cowin.
2013 Peck School of Art, University of Milwaukee – guest speaker and facilitator for collaborative print workshops and interactive drypoint printmaking with Quiet Revolution.
2008 Created feature door for the King Suite at the Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg over 18 months
2007
Assisted William Kentridge on various projects: sculpted horses later exhibited at the Goodman Gallery for his opera The Nose; built a miniature theatre for The Magic Flute performed in Paris; built five miniature theatres for a show at MOMA New york, as well as other museums in Italy, Zurich, Paris; completed a scale model and three miniature theatres for William Kentridge’s Magic Flute projections at La Monnaie de Munt opera house in Brussels, Belgium.
Carved two monumental sculptures, The Fluid Couple, for Johannesburg Art Bank installed at Joburg Water.
Led a workshop at St Stithian’s College with 1000 attendees on Cultural Day
Led a workshop/show The Quiet Revolution at Artist Proof Studio with approximately 100 students
Contributed to a wood block/lino cut printing workshop hosted by JHB art bank and Artist Proof studio
Designed and made the Absa Atelier Award 2006 trophies
2004
Created a stereoscope viewer for William Kentridge.
Installed a stained-glass gable front door at the Livni family home in Johannesburg
2003 Assisted William Kentridge with four monumental sculptures for The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
1996 – 2000
Worked as an English Heritage restoration specialist on London’s landmark structures. These included:
Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner; The Royal Institute of Architects building, Westminster; The House of Parliament member’s tunnel, Westminster; St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool street; Mill Hill Private School; Dreadnought Mariner’s Hospital, the Queen’s House, Greenwich; The Tate Gallery, Victoria; Nunhead Cemetery, the chapel and notable mausoleums, Southeast London.
Co-founder of Beacon studios in London – a living/working environment combining commercial and residential licensing which contributed to the amendment of council bylaws across England.
1995 Collaborated with tree surgeon Julian Husband, working with fallen and found wood from city parks. The London Collection.
Exhibitions
2024
‘Paxis’- A solo exhibition at Nirox sculpture park.
‘Praxis’- A solo exhibition at the University of Pretoria Student gallery.
2023
‘Layers’ – at The Origin Centre, Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
FNB Johannesburg Art Fair with Whatiftheworld Gallery
‘Oh so quiet’ – a group show at Whatiftheworld Gallery in Cape Town
Cleave at Nirox Sculpture Park
Investec Cape Town Art Fair with Whatiftheworld Gallery
‘Layers’ – a group show at Boschendal X Brundyn Art in Stellenbosch
2022
‘Seeds of the Fig’ – a group show held by Whatiftheworld / Reservoir at Krone Gallery in Tulbagh, Western Cape
‘Layers’ – a traveling group sculpture exhibition hosted by Nirox Foundation/ Villa Legodi and the embassies of Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico and Portugal, supported by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC).
‘Open Studios’ – Pupa exhibited in a group show at De Rust, Western Cape
2021
Norval Foundation Sculpture Garden – Dark Codex
Modern Art Projects (MAP) – Black Room and Ripple
Nirox Sculpture Park – Dark Codex and Synesthesia of Water
2019
Vortex 6 and Ellipse in group show curated by Johann Du Plessis in Bloemfontein
‘Aardklop Nasionale Kunstefees’ in Potchefstroom – Abyss shown in ‘verf dit swart’ (was this the show name or the location?)
‘Pretoria Star Sailors’ curated by art.co.za to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, exhibiting Lucid Sedation I-IV
‘Blown’ at Pretoria Art Museum with Paint it Black and Shy Restrained Pink Thing
2018 Alps Art Academy in Tenna, Graubünden, Switzerland – made and exhibited site-specific work during a symposium on land art.
2017
‘Words’, an exhibition, and Literary Festival at Nirox Sculpture Park – Dark Codex and A Volume of Shadows.
Yo Compro Calidad – a group exhibition by artists participating in the Matadero Madrid/El Ranchito, Nigeria/South Africa residency (Sophia Van Wyk, Hector Hernandes Rosas, Mar Guerrero, Taiye Idahor, Christian Newby, Gloria Oyarzabal, Obina Makatta)
Hermanus Cliffs annual sculpture exhibition – installation of Sonar Sound in the Old Harbour
2016 Dark Codex and Codex Inclusion at the Nirox Winter Show co-curated with Yorkshire Sculpture Park
2015
Artist Proof studio at Absa Gallery, Johannesburg. 4 drypoint etchings. Lucid Sedation
‘Transitions’ co-curated with Danny Myburgh, featuring works by 30 artists at The Old Transvaal Post Office in Vrededorp, Johannesburg.
Ellipse and 4 evolved drypoint prints at the Johannesburg Art Fair and Turbine Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.
Unveiled Vessel at the Nirox Winter Sculpture Show
Hazard Gallery, Johannesburg – exhibited Twister
2014
‘Anyway, the Wind Blows’ at BRUNDYN+ Gallery’s Summer Show, with Vortex 5
‘Paper’ a group exhibition at Artist Proof Studios exploring alternative, sculptural uses of paper.
Nirox Project Space 3 with Stephan Erasmus and Ansi Nitingeka
Turbine Art Fair with Prince Albert Gallery.
Nirox Winter sculpture exhibition
2013
Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch South Africa – installation of Vortex 1
Milwaukee print show at Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studios alongside four new prints from the Star Walker series relating to Water Bearer.
Res Gallery Johannesburg, solo show exploring the digital process of the brain through print and sculpture.
Unveiled Vortex 1 & 2 in the ‘After the Rainbow Nation’ exhibition at Nirox Sculpture Park
2012
Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio and David Brown Fine Art
Art Fringe Festival, Braamfontein – contributed to Elena Rocci and Rhett Martyn’s architectural art installation at the Gauteng Institute of Architecture (GIFA) JHB, South Africa.
Prince Albert Art Fair
’21 years of Artist Proof Studios’, Johannesburg Art Gallery, exhibited Water Bearer
The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Johannesburg, South Africa, exhibited A.R.C
2011
‘Marvelous World 5’, group show with Sarel Petrus, Guy Dutoit and Paul Cooper in Prince Albert, Klein Karoo.
Facilitated a Monumental Wood Carving mentorship program for Pretoria University
Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studios
Mid-career retrospective solo show at Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), exhibited A.R.C. Acoustic Resonance Collector
‘Marvelous World ‘ group show at Fried Gallery, Pretoria
Female dirigible Aviatrix exhibited on Christian Nerf’s ‘Disposable Experience’, Cape Town
2010
Exhibited published print collection at the Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.
Africa Burn – purged The Kiss with fire.
Grande Provence, Franschhoek, Western Cape, prints and ‘minuments’ of Courage and Elevator
‘Rooftop group exhibition, St. Lorient Pretoria
Rooftop extended -University of Johannesburg Gallery
Quiet Revolution print exhibited and sold for the fundraiser of Artist Proof Studios at a gala dinner held at Mastrantonio.
Participated in ‘Taped’, a public art experiment by Rhett Martyn at Inscape Design School, Johannesburg
Sarah’s World and Courage shown at Angels Gallery, Grande Provence, Franschhoek, South Africa.
2009
Rooftop group exhibition, St. Lorient Pretoria.
The Art Room, Johannesburg – Composing Cats linocut print series.
Exhibited prints of Quiet Revolution and Dirigible at the Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.
Courage and Elevator made as public works for Berea, Johannesburg
2008
Assisted Guy DuToit with a monumental concrete wave in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape.
‘Marvelous World’ – a traveling group show of four male sculptors (Forbes, Guy DuToit, Sarel Petrus, Paul Cooper) to three venues over a year: Outlet, Pretoria Technikon; Bag Factory, Johannesburg; Off the Wall, Paarl
Courage – Mixed media 3m high sculpture in Mozambique.
2007
Produced the Composing Cats series.
Quiet Revolution concluded in SA in a solo show at The Premises Gallery, Johannesburg Civic Theatre
Quiet Revolution hosted at the Topsy Foundation, the ngo for HIV-positive families and orphans.
Commenced work on Sand Angel and Shaman for the penthouse suite of the Michelangelo Towers, Johannesburg, South Africa
2006
Blue Gum Project sponsored by Absa, in Prins Albert, Klein Karoo. Carved five monumental trees and trained four carvers, titled The Burghers of Prince Albert
Submitted a Quiet Revolution spinning top and print to the National School of Arts for its traveling exhibition of the East launched in Singapore.
2005
‘Ripple’- a solo exhibition at Absa Gallery, Johannesburg
Commenced film production of The Somnambulist – A Night Watch, submitted to the Brett Kebble Awards.
‘With Logs’ solo exhibition opened at 157 Jan Smuts Ave, Johannesburg.
Group show at Michelangelo Towers in Johannesburg by invitation from the Trinity Session.
2004
Exhibited through ORT South Africa at the chief Rabbi Cyril Harris Synagogue.
Residency, Gordart Gallery, Johannesburg
‘Nodd’ the Daschund in the ‘Ten Years of Democracy’ exhibition- Everard Read Johannesburg
Gordart vinyl disc exhibition, Art Klopp., Potchefstroom.
TAC TOC with Toni-Ann Ballenden at Gordart in Johannesburg
2003 Carfax ‘Vinyl Cube’, The Kiss.
2002 Carfax group exhibition
2001
Blind Spot 2, Dry Barry Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition, Stewart Gallery, Johannesburg
2000
Blind spot, Dry Barry Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition, Stewart Gallery, Johannesburg
1999
Solo exhibition, South Kensington, London.
Group exhibition, Dorian Gallery, Berkshire, North London.
1998 Beacon Studio Gallery in London, UK. Solo exhibition .
1996 Deptford Art Festival. Solo exhibition for HSBC bank, London
Public Performances
The adventures of A Shy Restrained Pink Thing:
2023
Quiet Revolution and Lesser Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Miami, California and London
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to the 30’000-year-old fish traps in Still Bay, Western Cape
2020
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to “hands lammers”, (hand reared lambs on the Kock farm, 60km north of Richmond Northern Cape, South Africa
Shy Restrained Pink Thing goes afield for an adventure. Shot by drone from above. Forbes Studio, DeEiker Farm, Blanco, George, Western Cape, South Africa
2019 Shy Restrained Pink Thing goes on a protest march against climate change, York street, George, South Africa
2018 Shy Restrained Pink Thing visits Sioux City, Nebraska, and participates in a native American Lakota Tribal Spiritual Practice.
2018
SMELT glass foundry, Johannesburg – Shy Restrained Pink Thing
Shy Restrained Pink Thing- exposed, revived and blessed in Die OOG, Groot Marico, Northwestern Province, South Africa.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed at Harrie Siertsma’s MAP Gallery, Grass Kop, Mpumalanga, South Africa in collaboration with BLOCH of Bloch Global, Comcom curated by Roger Gentinetta.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed under Mary Shires Waterfalls, Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in London Forestry Arbor, Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa in collaboration with BLOCH Global, Comcom curated by Roger Gentinetta.
2017
Shy Restrained Pink Thing – Exposed on the roof of Luis Alonzo-Barkigia’s Studio, New Jersey, USA
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in indigenous swamp being cleared for development in Savannah Georgia, USA.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to a Peterbuilt cement truck at a cement factory in Wynwood Walls, Miami Art Basel
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to Miami’s South Beach Pier at sunset during Miami Art Basel
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Room 263 – the original Playboy Bunny Club at the Plaza Hotel, South Beach, Florida, during Miami Art Basel
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in the parachute drop zone of Coffs Harbor Airport, New South Wales, Australia. Exposed to Coffs Harbor Jetty, New South Wales, Australia.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to Knysna, Oak Arbor, Western Cape, South Africa.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.
Unexposed at home, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed on Tietiesbaai island, Paternoster, Western Cape, South Africa.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed at Modern Art Projects -Richmond, Northern Cape South Africa
2016
Shy Restrained Pink Thing – Exposed at Nirox Foundation in collaboration with Hector Hernandes Rosas for Willem Boshoff’s birthday party.
Shy Restrained Pink Thing first exposure at the Cosmopolitan during Johannesburg Art fair and Johannesburg Art Week, Maboneng, Johannesburg, South Africa.
ART TRAVELS
2023 March – Kalahari drive to source rose quartz for the Nirox residency.
2007 Research film trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana Produced «4 rivers» digital film. Part of the MTN art collection.
2000 South Africa.
1994 Canada. Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary , Cascais, Portugal, London, UK.
1993 Cape Town, RSA, Loop Street Studios.
1992 Cape Town, RSA, Paris, France. Lisbon, Portugal.
AWARDS
2004 Finalist on the Brett Kebble Art Awards.
PUBLICATIONS
2018 SAADJIES, traveling miniature sculpture catalogue
2017 El Ranchito Residency program catalogue – Matadero Madrid
Hermanus Times (date?)
2016 Nirox zine for the Winter Sculpture Fair
2015 Artist Proof Studio education endowment catalogue
2011 A.R.C @ JAG Johannesburg Art Gallery exhibition catalogue
2009 Beeld newspaper (09/08)
2008 Beeld newspaper (04/30)
2007 Die Burger newspaper (04/03)
Die Burger newspaper (04/27)
Beeld newspaper (03/26)
Mail and Guardian newspaper (01/12)
2006 Abacus, ABSA Bank magazine cover story
2005 ABSA L’Atelier Twenty Years competition catalogue
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Richard John Forbes, Visual Artist
28 Cathedral Street
George 6529
Western Cape, South Africa
+27 (0)72 223 1460
richard@richardjforbes.com
Richard John Forbes, Visual Artist
28 Cathedral Street
George 6529
Western Cape, South Africa
+27 (0)72 223 1460
richard@richardjforbes.com