Richard Deacon

Richard Deacon, a luminary in contemporary sculpture, is celebrated for his innovative explorations of form and material. Born in Bangor, Wales, in 1949, Deacon’s artistic journey has been marked by a profound investigation into the nature of opposites through his large-scale sculptures crafted from ceramics, stainless steel, and wood.

Deacon’s work is distinguished by its ability to question and juxtapose essential yet contradictory characteristics—rigidity and strength, the organic and the geometric, grace and awkwardness. His sculptures challenge conventional perceptions of weight and mass, focusing instead on the interplay of form and meaning. Deacon once eloquently noted, “What seems to me particularly interesting in the rolling, twisting, bending operations with material [is] that the enclosure or volume created [has] nothing to do with weight or mass. It is empty and therefore connected to meaning in a way that is independent of causality or rationality (that is to say that the outside is not caused by the inside).”

In recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to art, Deacon was awarded the Turner Prize in 1987, one of the most prestigious accolades in the art world. Further cementing his status as one of Britain’s most important living artists, he was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999. Deacon’s work continues to inspire and provoke thought, solidifying his legacy in the canon of modern sculpture.