For his second exhibition at Marsden Woo Gallery, Rupert Ackroyd is once more occupied with the idea of surface. Previously, his concern was the tonal trail through time of the material surfaces of the English Inn. This time his focus is the spiritual, and its manifestation on the surfaces of physical objects.
What fills a God vacuum? Sometimes vague spiritual thoughts. These form the content of Ackroyd's installation, specifically thoughts directed at cathedral blocks and thistle seeds, the objects of this exhibition.
Can such thoughts alone constitute a spiritual life?
Rupert Ackroyd studied sculpture at Winchester School of Art and the Royal College of Art. His recent exhibitions include Hackney Archive Residency, Art House Foundation, London (2014); A Merman I Should Turn To Be, Laura Bartlett Gallery, London (2014) A Circle, Domo Baal Gallery, London (2014); Polish Polish British British, Centre for Contemporary Art, Ujazdowski Castle, Warsaw (2013); £5.34 group show at Carl Freedman, London (2013); It's a Beautiful World group exhibition at Rhubaba, Edinburgh (2013); Wonderland, Annely Juda Gallery, London (2013); International Lawns, The Toolshed, Frome (2013); Inn, Inn, Inn (solo show) at Marsden Woo Gallery Project Space (2012); T Rooms (with work made in collaboration with Matthew Darbyshire) at Tramway, Glasgow and restaged at 176, The Zabludowicz Collection, London (2012); Garage Project with Daniel Pasteiner at Rod Barton Gallery and collaborative works with Alison Turnbull at the Russian Club Gallery and Romeo with Owen Bullett for the Art House Foundation (all in London, 2011); Recent British Sculpture (Curator: Tom Morton) at Grimm Gallery, Amsterdam, Large Assemblage (solo show) at Dicksmith Gallery, London (all 2010); and Moon Under Water (solo show) at Malta Contemporary Art, Valletta, Malta (2009).