Art of England - July 09 2009
Born in Salisbury in 1964 to a musical family, his father was organist at St Paul's Cathedral, Ben Dearnley grew up in London surrounded by music, beauty and stone.
As a child, he would watch and study closely the cathedral's stonemasons as they cut massive blocks of Portland stone to repair parts of Wren's masterpiece. He says that he was in awe of their skills and ability to transform huge blocks of stone with delicate caring. The cathedral was his playground: he knew every nook and cranny of one of the world's great cathedrals, and appreciated the craftsmanship of its great bas-reliefs, sculptures, mosaics and bronzes. When he was not playing in the cathedral, he and his mates would spend hours jumping on and off the classic London Routemaster buses, in one of the finest cities in the world.
For nearly thirty years, Ben studied and then worked with musical instrument makers in the city as an instrument technician and became a specialist in the workings of the saxophone. However, his great love of sculpture and the skills he had seen used at St Paul's to transform stone were to have a profound effect on him.
In 1995 he was given the opportunity to study with the master carver Les Sandham, who worked notably with Jacob Epstein in the 1950s.
"1987-2003 was spent working with the instrument makers and suppliers T W Howarth who have one of those quirky old school stores just off Baker Street. These years where to nurture my fine detail skills and the chance to develop friendships with some the the UK's finest jazz saxophonist, a select few of whom I am working with today on a commissioned piece of new music for the coming Olympian Ave of Champions show at Belgravia Gallery in June."
In 2003 Ben decided to take up sculpture full time, starting with a degree in sculpture at Camberwell College of Arts, London. To economise, he lived on a narrow boat in the Lee Valley, commuting to college on his motorbike (the only way to travel around London these days) and totally downsized his existence. Leaving college, he decided to travel to Italy to further his studies of carving stone and made his pilgrimage to the heart of the mountains of Carrara, where the marble is quarried, cut and transformed into the world's finest sculptures. It was where hat he finally began to develop his relationship with this precious stone.
In 2007 Ben spent most of the year in these mountains within the studios of Pietrasnta with Marco Giannoni and his team, Niccola, Fabio, Francesco and Mori, then he ventured further south in Tuscany to work with Nigel Konstam at the Verricchio Arts Centre.
The result of these years of study and practice can be seen in his exquisitely carved, classically composed sculptures of the human form. Reminiscent of the delicate Michelangelo sculptures, and carved from material from the sam quarry, Ben Dearnley's sculptures captivate. His male torsos in the whitest of marbles are remarkable; the females with their taut elegant bodies are as covetable today as sculptures where in ancient times. Collectors love the tactile nature of some sculpture and recognise the skill required to produce work of the quality in the medium.
The works which are now absorbing Dearnley's interest reflect his particular skill for carving the perfect bodies of athletes, some of who have modelled for Dearnley. Part of the proceeds of the exhibition of Ben Dearnley's sculptures will benefit SportsAid, a charity which helps fund young athletes. It recognises that perhaps the greatest barriers to progress in sport are the expenses that athletes face, the problems of trying to balance their sport with their education. The financial help from SportsAid has been invaluable and affirming to young athletes.
"My studies continue with each new piece I undertake and I am finding the current series of Modern Day Heroes stretching my understanding and response with each new athlete I work with. These Olympic and Paralympics athletes included in the Avenue of Champions have all given themselves to the project and it has been my great honour to be able to work with them to produce these works. My only wish is to do them justice and place a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy and inspire. Alongside this, I am developing collaborations with graffiti artists from London to Bristol which is taking our current understanding to a new level. The musical collaborations with Courtney Pine, Iain Ballemy, Andy Sheppard and James Morton bring a crossover of creativity, all of which makes for a rich time for me right now. Rich is meant in its purest term, as I am living my dream and doing the thing I was destined to do...and loving every chance that comes my way."
Ben's work is in private collections all over the world. This show will feature some of his most accomplished works and should not be missed.
Ben Dearnley's exhibition Avenue of Champions open 8 June until 15 June at Belgravia Gallery, Albemarle Street,
London, WI. Telephone: +44 (0) 207 495 101.
www.belgraviagallery.com info@belgraviagallery.com
