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Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�#20:�ConradShawcrossArtist�who�directs�coexistence�of�science�and�art
From�elaborate�machines�that�do�not�seem�like�artworks�at�first�sight,�to
geometric�structures,�the�works�of�Conrad�Shawcross�are�ways�of�the�artist
studying�philosophy�and�science.�To�the�extent�that�he�picks�his�high�school
Saying�that�he�is�attracted�to�scientific�theories�that�had�failed�logically�or
methodologically,�Shawcross�reinterprets�such�theories�in�his�own�ways�to
create�ambitious�and�structural�sculptures.�Bloomberg�and�Hyundai�Motor
presents�the�20th�Brilliant�Ideas�Episode�featuring�Shawcross,�who�combines
Borders�among�science,�philosophy,�and�art
math�teacher�and�a�friend�of�his�who�is�a�computer�engineer�as�the�mentors
of�his�life,�he�shows�enormous�passion�for�science�studies.
new�emerging�technologies�and�natural�forces�to�inspire�paradox�and
wonder�in�his�works,�ceaselessly�endeavoring�at�the�borders�among�science,
philosophy,�and�art.
Conrad�Shawcross�is�one�of�few�British�artists�who�received�high-level
education.�Not�like�other�art�students,�however,�he�was�not�interested�in�art-
related�elements�such�as�art�history�or�stories�of�famous�artists,�rather�being
fascinated�by�lectures�on�various�subjects�held�in�universities:�the�subject
that�had�a�grip�on�Shawcross�was�science.�
The�Nervous�System(2003),�which�brought�attention�to�him�for�the�first�time,
is�an�installation�piece�in�which�a�symmetrical�loom-shaped�structure�is
attached�with�a�motor�so�that�the�axles�of�the�loom�are�made�to�skew�by
about�30�degrees.�Inspired�by�the�“Luddite”�that�occurred�during�the
Industrial�Revolution�era�in�Britain,�this�artwork�shows�slowly�moving
enormous�structure�that�seems�as�if�to�fall�down�at�any�time,�making�the
viewers�feel�like�travelling�back�in�time.�Today,�when�everyone�prefers�small
and�fast�machines,�this�anachronistic�device�exactly�opposite�thereto�that
included�the�artist’s�intention�to�demonstrate�the�shape�of�time�was
appropriate�to�attract�public�attention.
Turning�from�a�science�nerd�into�an�artist
Having�believed�in�his�own�art�philosophy�and�continued�to�create
experimental�works,�Shawcross�was�selected�as�a�member�of�the�Royal
Academy�of�Arts�in�2013�at�an�early�age,�and�consequently�showed�The
Dappled�Light�of�the�Sun(2015)�at�the�institution.�Consisting�of�geometric
patterns,�this�work�is�a�huge�roof�made�of�8,000�connected�tetrahedrons
over�a�six-meter�high�tripod;�the�scale�of�the�structure�alone,�of�which�the
height�is�ten�meters,�the�width�is�five�meters,�and�the�weight�is�40�tons,�was
enough�to�overwhelm�the�viewers.�Shawcross�says�the�reason�he�uses
tetrahedrons�in�his�works�often�is�that�“The�Greeks�considered�the
tetrahedron�to�represent�the�very�essence�of�matter.”�He�puts�meaning�to
comparing�tetrahedrons�to�bricks�and�making�artworks�with�them.�With�this
well-received�work�of�his,�Shawcross�once�again�established�himself�as�an
experimenting�artist.�
Some�people�think�of�him�peculiar,�who�focuses�on�his�own�scientific
philosophy�rather�than�artistic�beauty�to�create�art;�when�he�was�asked�a
question�at�an�interview�whether�he�considers�himself�as�a�sculptor,�he
responded�that�“I�describe�myself�as�an�artist�foremost,�an�artist�before�being
a�sculptor”,�saying�that�he�concentrated�on�making�artworks�in�three-
dimensional�shapes�and�a�monumental�scale.
Dreaming�change�of�paradigm
One�of�the�subjects�that�the�artist,�whose�works�are�based�on�science�and
philosophy,�particularly�focuses�on�is�“paradigm”.�He�has�been�interested�in�a
paradigm�since�college�years,�making�a�series�of�works�of�which�the�title
includes�the�word�“paradigm”�since�2006.�One�of�his�early�works,
Paradigm(Ode�to�the�Difference�Engine)(2006)�is�devoted�to�the�basic
concept�of�a�paradigm�that�continuously�changes�rather�than�concentrating
on�artistic�aesthetic,�with�two�machines�repeating�the�process�of�winding
and�unwinding�a�skein�of�thread.�Further�works�of�the�Paradigm�series�has
kept�changing�as�their�theme�does,�the�material�and�size�of�the�works
gradually�evolving�in�Paradigm�Slender(2015),�Paradigm�Chamfer(2015),�and
Paradigm�Exploded(2015).�While�Paradigm(Ode�to�the�Difference�Engine)
was�merely�a�machine�that�barely�managed�to�operate,�the�further�works�had
increasing�artistic�values�while�maintaining�the�concept�of�a�paradigm.
Among�others,�Paradigm(2016)�has�reached�the�top�of�this�series,�which
appeared�first�at�Kings�Cross,�a�central�London,�in�February�2016.�The�work
starts�from�a�narrow�bottom�surface,�and�the�width�of�the�work�increases
along�with�the�height;�the�width�of�the�top�part�is�as�great�as�5�meters�and
the�height�is�14�meters.�In�a�massive�geometric�form,�this�work�is�a�result�of
the�scientific�philosophy�of�the�artist�combined�with�tetrahedrons,�fulfilling
its�role�effectively�as�a�public�artwork�to�commemorate�a�science�institution
placed�at�the�center�of�London,�created�with�the�commission�from�a�British
medical�charity�group.
As�in�the�artist’s�works�famous�for�paying�homage�to�scientists,�this�work�is
also�based�on�Shawcross’�philosophy,�inspired�by�The�Structure�of�Scientific
Revolutions�by�Thomas�Kuhn,�an�American�scientist�and�philosopher�who
suggested�the�concept�of�a�paradigm�for�the�first�time,�representing�the
content�of�the�book�that�a�new�paradigm�should�keep�tearing�down�an�old
paradigm�for�advance�of�science.�Everything�that�keeps�developing�collapses
one�day�and�eventually�comes�to�an�end:�the�shape�of�Paradigm,�in�which
weathered�tetrahedrons�are�soaring�to�the�sky�in�a�spiral,�symbolically�shows
such�great�and�yet�unstable�process.�Such�subject�may�be�considered�a�bit
pretentious�for�a�public�artwork�standing�in�the�middle�of�the�city�where�a�lot
of�people�move�in�and�out;�the�artist�wants�people�to�think�of�Paradigm�as�a
part�of�every�paradigm�changing�process�existing�in�everyday�life.�■�with
ARTINPOST
<The�ADA�Project>�2013Aluminium,�steel,�light,�computer�controlled�mechanical�system�Dimensions�variable�Installation�view�at�Palais�de�Tokyo,�Paris�
Courtesy�the�artist�and�Victoria�Miro,�London
Conrad�Shawcross,�born�in�1977�in�London,�is�the�artist�who�works�with
scientific�rationality.�He�often�appropriates�redundant�theories�and
methodologies�to�create�ambitious�structural�and�mechanical�montages,
using�a�wide�variety�of�materials�and�media.�His�sculptures�explore�subjects
that�lie�on�the�borders�of�geometry�and�philosophy,�physics�and�metaphysics.�
After�Shawcross�participated�in�a�degree�show�of�the�British�art�school�in
2001,�he�gained�recognition�for�the�work�The�Nervous�System,�a�large,
symmetrical,�working�loom�producing�over�20,000�meters�of�double-helix,
he�showed�in�2004�at�the�Saatchi�Gallery.�He�also�came�to�the�spotlight�for
the�work�that�was�inspired�by�Titian's�masterpieces�named�Metamorphosis:
Titian�in�2012.�In�2015,�a�new�series�of�permanent�sculpture�was�unveiled�in
Dulwich�Park.��
And�he�won�the�Art�&�Work�2008�Award�for�a�commissioned�site-specific
work.�In�2009,�he�was�awarded�the�Illy�prize�for�best�solo�exhibition�at�Art
Brussels.�In�2014,�he�won�the�Jack�Goldhill�Award�for�the�show�at�Royal
Academy�of�Arts.
Profile
Photo�Credit�by�Carolina�Mazzolari