Formation III: The Dappled Light of the Sun, 2015, Weathering steel, 792.1 x 792.1 x 475 cm, Art Jameel Collection.

Throughout his career, Conrad Shawcross has experimented with geometries and topologies; these constructions are conceived as systems, sometimes modular, sometimes mechanical, which could be theoretically extended infinitely into space. Formation III: The Dappled Light of the Sun, revolves around the natural patterns of geometry: from a simple, mathematical form, Shawcross has created an immersive work that stands on three tripods, six metres high. The geometric structures give an impression of being organic, comprised of branching, tree-like forms made up of thousands of tetrahedrons, creating a canopy over part of Jaddaf Waterfront Sculpture Park.

About Conrad Shawcross

Conrad Shawcross (b. 1971, lives and works in London, UK) has a BA Fine Arts from Ruskin School of Art, Oxford and a MFA from Slade School of Art, London. Imbued with an appearance of scientific rationality, Conrad Shawcross’ sculptures explore subjects that lie on the borders of geometry and philosophy, physics and metaphysics. Inspired by different technologies, the artist’s structures may retain in appearance the authority of machines – yet, they remain enigmatic, filled with paradox and wonder. Some have an absurdist melancholy feel, while others tend to the sublime, substituting the purely functional for phenomenological experience.

The artist has had solo exhibitions at international institutions including: Yorkshire Sculpture International, Halifax, UK (2019); Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Connecticut (2018); the New Art Centre, Salisbury (2015); ARTMIA Foundation, Beijing (2014); MUDAM, Luxembourg (2012); Science Museum, London (2011– 2012); Turner Contemporary, Margate (2011); and Oxford Science Park (2010). His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally as part of group exhibitions at the Science Museum, London (2019); Pilane Sculpture Park, Klövedal(2019); Royal Academy of Arts, London (2014, 2016–2019); Frieze Sculpture, London (2018); Socle du Monde Biennale (2017); Barbican, London (2017); Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2016–2017), ArtScience Museum, Singapore (2017); Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (2015–2016); Chatsworth House, Derbyshire (2015); Palazzo Fortuny, Venice (2015); Hayward Gallery, London (2013), Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand (2014–2015), MCA, Sydney (2015), Sharjah Art Foundation (2015); Benaki Museum, Athens (2016); and the 55th Venice Biennale, Venice (2013).