British Sculptor Tom Hiscocks says his work is an enquiry into “the parallel experiences of constancy and change in nature”. But what’s the best way to express these conflicting ideas? Is it possible to evolve a style that, in the artist’s words, is “constant, but which also changes as the viewer engages with it?”
Well, yes it is – and it’s present in Tom’s trademark sculptures, which layer 2D slices together to form a coherent 3D whole. To produce these elegant works, Tom starts with the traditional sculpting method of creating a model in clay or wax. He scans his model in 3D and then slices the scan data into multiple layers. He has these sections cut and then welds them together by hand.
The results certainly articulate Tom’s artistic vision. Each individual layer represents a constant, and a solid entity, yet combined together they transform into something dynamic.
This is especially evident in the anatomical works that are part of Tom’s new Catto show – works such as Fallow Deer, Drinking Horse and Many become One. “I want my work to change as the angle of view changes, and as the context that they are placed in changes – just as we might,” he says.
Tom’s fascination with constancy and change is reflected in his own life story. For years he was involved in horse racing – as a stable lad, jockey and racecourse manager. Later he moved into business, and then in 2009 Tom chose to follow his life-long passion for art. He studied first at the Slade Art School summer school and later at the Ruskin Art School in Cambridge. During this time, he developed his fascination for sculpture. He graduated with a first-class Fine Art degree, and as the winner of the Supanee Gazeley Fine Art award for his year group.
Today, Tom lives and works in Wiltshire. His sculptures have a growing band of international collectors across Europe, the USA and Saudi Arabia. They have been shown in distinguished settings such as Blenheim Palace, Kings College, Cambridge and the Royal Welsh Show and this summer, at the Chelsea Flower Show, Beaulieu and Royal Ascot.
