RICHARD JOHN FORBES

(Born 1970, Johannesburg)

 

Forbes is a multi-disciplinary artist with a central focus on sculpture. His process drives his practice; inspired heavily by nature, a strong emphasis is placed on physical engagement in his work. This attention can be seen and experienced clearly in the textures, layers and exploration of form translated from his hands into his art. His sculptures are at once subtle and bold;  grounded and ethereal, ancient and modern.

Having discovered impact of scale as a restorer of historic architecture in the United Kingdom, his practice considers space in the urban and natural landscape while internal light and cavernous volumes have made a huge impression on his art works.

"I am interested in the veil suspended between all things, the charged film of atmosphere is filled with potential; fueling the curiosity and compulsion to gain experience with many different media and this toolbox of multiple disciplines allows me to explore.”

He maintains a restored heritage barn as his studio next to the Outeniqua mountains, in the western Cape, South Africa.

 

CV - CURRICULUM VITAE

QUALIFICATIONS

1996 Apprenticeship as English Heritage Architectural Stone Restorer under master Paul Carter at David Ball Restoration Ltd.

1991 Apprenticeship with Guy DuToit in bronze sculpting and pouring in Pretoria, South Africa.

1989 National School of the Arts, Johannesburg. Graduated with a 1st in painting and sculpture, 2nd in drawing and photography.

 

RESIDENCIES / WORKSHOPS

2023 Nirox Foundation, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa – carved 25 rose quartz sculptures over 35 days

2021 Modern Art Projects (MAP), South Africa – bookbinding residency

2020 MAP – restoration and conversion of installation space for Black Room

2019 Nirox Foundation

2018 Alps Art Academy, Switzerland

2017 Matadero Madrid / El Ranchito residency, Spain

2016 Nirox Foundation

2014 Nirox Foundation

2013 Peck School of Art – Quiet revolution Interactive drypoint printmaking

 

PROJECTS / COMMISSIONS

2018 Stage and set design for Florence, a play by Myer Taub directed by Greg Homann, performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg

2017

Stage and set designs for The Suit by Can Themba, directed by James Ncgobo, performed at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg

Spire – petroglyph made from rare South African white marble, for the Jade Hamburger collection at the Enrico Daffonchio house in Johannesburg, a Bauhaus-style architectural landmark designed by architect Douglas Cowin.

2013 Peck School of Art, University of Milwaukee – guest speaker and facilitator for collaborative print workshops and interactive drypoint printmaking with Quiet Revolution.

2008 Created feature door for the King Suite at the Michelangelo Hotel in Johannesburg over 18 months

2007

Assisted William Kentridge on various projects: sculpted horses later exhibited at the Goodman Gallery for his opera The Nose; built a miniature theatre for The Magic Flute performed in Paris; built five miniature theatres for a show at MOMA New york, as well as other museums in Italy, Zurich, Paris; completed a scale model and three miniature theatres for William Kentridge’s Magic Flute projections at La Monnaie de Munt opera house in Brussels, Belgium.

Carved two monumental sculptures, The Fluid Couple, for Johannesburg Art Bank installed at Joburg Water.

Led a workshop at St Stithian’s College with 1000 attendees on Cultural Day

Led a workshop/show The Quiet Revolution at Artist Proof Studio with approximately 100 students

Contributed to a wood block/lino cut printing workshop hosted by JHB art bank and Artist Proof studio

Designed and made the Absa Atelier Award 2006 trophies

2004

Created a stereoscope viewer for William Kentridge.

Installed a stained-glass gable front door at the Livni family home in Johannesburg

2003 Assisted William Kentridge with four monumental sculptures for The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.

1996 – 2000

Worked as an English Heritage restoration specialist on London’s landmark structures. These included:

Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corner; The Royal Institute of Architects building, Westminster; The House of Parliament member’s tunnel, Westminster; St. Luke’s Church, Liverpool street; Mill Hill Private School; Dreadnought Mariner’s Hospital, the Queen’s House, Greenwich; The Tate Gallery, Victoria; Nunhead Cemetery, the chapel and notable mausoleums, Southeast London.

Co-founder of Beacon studios in London – a living/working environment combining commercial and residential licensing which contributed to the amendment of council bylaws across England.

1995 Collaborated with tree surgeon Julian Husband, working with fallen and found wood from city parks. The London Collection.

 

EXHIBITIONS

2024

‘Paxis’- A solo exhibition at Nirox sculpture park.

‘Praxis’- A solo exhibition at the University of Pretoria Student gallery.

2023

‘Layers’ – at The Origin Centre, Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

FNB Johannesburg Art Fair with Whatiftheworld Gallery

‘Oh so quiet’ – a group show at Whatiftheworld Gallery in Cape Town

Cleave at Nirox Sculpture Park

Investec Cape Town Art Fair with Whatiftheworld Gallery

‘Layers’ – a group show at Boschendal X Brundyn Art in Stellenbosch

2022

‘Seeds of the Fig’ – a group show held by Whatiftheworld / Reservoir at Krone Gallery in Tulbagh, Western Cape

‘Layers’ – a traveling group sculpture exhibition hosted by Nirox Foundation/ Villa Legodi and the embassies of Spain, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico and Portugal, supported by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC).

‘Open Studios’ – Pupa exhibited in a group show at De Rust, Western Cape

2021

Norval Foundation Sculpture Garden – Dark Codex

Modern Art Projects (MAP) – Black Room and Ripple

Nirox Sculpture Park – Dark Codex and Synesthesia of Water

2019

Vortex 6 and Ellipse in group show curated by Johann Du Plessis in Bloemfontein

‘Aardklop Nasionale Kunstefees’ in Potchefstroom – Abyss shown in ‘verf dit swart’ (was this the show name or the location?)

‘Pretoria Star Sailors’ curated by art.co.za to celebrating the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, exhibiting Lucid Sedation I-IV

‘Blown’ at Pretoria Art Museum with Paint it Black and Shy Restrained Pink Thing

2018 Alps Art Academy in Tenna, Graubünden, Switzerland – made and exhibited site-specific work during a symposium on land art.

2017

‘Words’, an exhibition, and Literary Festival at Nirox Sculpture Park – Dark Codex and A Volume of Shadows.

Yo Compro Calidad – a group exhibition by artists participating in the Matadero Madrid/El Ranchito, Nigeria/South Africa residency (Sophia Van Wyk, Hector Hernandes Rosas, Mar Guerrero, Taiye Idahor, Christian Newby, Gloria Oyarzabal, Obina Makatta)

Hermanus Cliffs annual sculpture exhibition – installation of Sonar Sound in the Old Harbour

2016 Dark Codex and Codex Inclusion at the Nirox Winter Show co-curated with Yorkshire Sculpture Park

2015

Artist Proof studio at Absa Gallery, Johannesburg. 4 drypoint etchings. Lucid Sedation

‘Transitions’ co-curated with Danny Myburgh, featuring works by 30 artists at The Old Transvaal Post Office in Vrededorp, Johannesburg.

Ellipse and 4 evolved drypoint prints at the Johannesburg Art Fair and Turbine Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.

Unveiled Vessel at the Nirox Winter Sculpture Show

Hazard Gallery, Johannesburg – exhibited Twister

2014

‘Anyway, the Wind Blows’ at BRUNDYN+ Gallery’s Summer Show, with Vortex 5

‘Paper’ a group exhibition at Artist Proof Studios exploring alternative, sculptural uses of paper.

Nirox Project Space 3 with Stephan Erasmus and Ansi Nitingeka

Turbine Art Fair with Prince Albert Gallery.

Nirox Winter sculpture exhibition

2013

Spier Wine Estate, Stellenbosch South Africa – installation of Vortex 1

Milwaukee print show at Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studios alongside four new prints from the Star Walker series relating to Water Bearer.

Res Gallery Johannesburg, solo show exploring the digital process of the brain through print and sculpture.

Unveiled Vortex 1 & 2 in the ‘After the Rainbow Nation’ exhibition at Nirox Sculpture Park

2012

Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio and David Brown Fine Art

Art Fringe Festival, Braamfontein – contributed to Elena Rocci and Rhett Martyn’s architectural art installation at the Gauteng Institute of Architecture (GIFA) JHB, South Africa.

Prince Albert Art Fair

’21 years of Artist Proof Studios’, Johannesburg Art Gallery, exhibited Water Bearer

The Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), Johannesburg, South Africa, exhibited A.R.C

2011

‘Marvelous World 5’, group show with Sarel Petrus, Guy Dutoit and Paul Cooper in Prince Albert, Klein Karoo.

Facilitated a Monumental Wood Carving mentorship program for Pretoria University

Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studios

Mid-career retrospective solo show at Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), exhibited A.R.C. Acoustic Resonance Collector

‘Marvelous World ‘ group show at Fried Gallery, Pretoria

Female dirigible Aviatrix exhibited on Christian Nerf’s ‘Disposable Experience’, Cape Town

2010

Exhibited published print collection at the Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.

Africa Burn – purged The Kiss with fire.

Grande Provence, Franschhoek, Western Cape, prints and ‘minuments’ of Courage and Elevator

‘Rooftop group exhibition, St. Lorient Pretoria

Rooftop extended -University of Johannesburg Gallery

Quiet Revolution print exhibited and sold for the fundraiser of Artist Proof Studios at a gala dinner held at Mastrantonio.

Participated in ‘Taped’, a public art experiment by Rhett Martyn at Inscape Design School, Johannesburg

Sarah’s World and Courage shown at Angels Gallery, Grande Provence, Franschhoek, South Africa.

2009

Rooftop group exhibition, St. Lorient Pretoria.

The Art Room, Johannesburg – Composing Cats linocut print series.

Exhibited prints of Quiet Revolution and Dirigible at the Johannesburg Art Fair with Artist Proof Studio.

Courage and Elevator made as public works for Berea, Johannesburg

2008

Assisted Guy DuToit with a monumental concrete wave in Jeffreys Bay, Eastern Cape.

‘Marvelous World’ – a traveling group show of four male sculptors (Forbes, Guy DuToit, Sarel Petrus, Paul Cooper) to three venues over a year: Outlet, Pretoria Technikon; Bag Factory, Johannesburg; Off the Wall, Paarl

Courage – Mixed media 3m high sculpture in Mozambique.

2007

Produced the Composing Cats series.

Quiet Revolution concluded in SA in a solo show at The Premises Gallery, Johannesburg Civic Theatre

Quiet Revolution hosted at the Topsy Foundation, the ngo for HIV-positive families and orphans.

Commenced work on Sand Angel and Shaman for the penthouse suite of the Michelangelo Towers, Johannesburg, South Africa

2006

Blue Gum Project sponsored by Absa, in Prins Albert, Klein Karoo. Carved five monumental trees and trained four carvers, titled The Burghers of Prince Albert

Submitted a Quiet Revolution spinning top and print to the National School of Arts for its traveling exhibition of the East launched in Singapore.

2005

‘Ripple’- a solo exhibition at Absa Gallery, Johannesburg

Commenced film production of The Somnambulist – A Night Watch, submitted to the Brett Kebble Awards.

‘With Logs’ solo exhibition opened at 157 Jan Smuts Ave, Johannesburg.

Group show at Michelangelo Towers in Johannesburg by invitation from the Trinity Session.

2004

Exhibited through ORT South Africa at the chief Rabbi Cyril Harris Synagogue.

Residency, Gordart Gallery, Johannesburg

‘Nodd’ the Daschund in the ‘Ten Years of Democracy’ exhibition- Everard Read Johannesburg

Gordart vinyl disc exhibition, Art Klopp., Potchefstroom.

TAC TOC with Toni-Ann Ballenden at Gordart in Johannesburg

2003 Carfax ‘Vinyl Cube’, The Kiss.

2002 Carfax group exhibition

2001

Blind Spot 2, Dry Barry Gallery, Johannesburg

Group exhibition, Stewart Gallery, Johannesburg

2000

Blind spot, Dry Barry Gallery, Johannesburg

Group exhibition, Stewart Gallery, Johannesburg

1999

Solo exhibition, South Kensington, London.

Group exhibition, Dorian Gallery, Berkshire, North London.

1998 Beacon Studio Gallery in London, UK. Solo exhibition .

1996 Deptford Art Festival. Solo exhibition for HSBC bank, London

Public Performances

The adventures of A Shy Restrained Pink Thing:

2023

Quiet Revolution and Lesser Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Miami, California and London

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to the 30’000-year-old fish traps in Still Bay, Western Cape

2020

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to “hands lammers”, (hand reared lambs on the Kock farm, 60km north of Richmond Northern Cape, South Africa

Shy Restrained Pink Thing goes afield for an adventure. Shot by drone from above. Forbes Studio, DeEiker Farm, Blanco, George, Western Cape, South Africa

2019 Shy Restrained Pink Thing goes on a protest march against climate change, York street, George, South Africa

2018 Shy Restrained Pink Thing visits Sioux City, Nebraska, and participates in a native American Lakota Tribal Spiritual Practice.

2018

SMELT glass foundry, Johannesburg – Shy Restrained Pink Thing

Shy Restrained Pink Thing- exposed, revived and blessed in Die OOG, Groot Marico, Northwestern Province, South Africa.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed at Harrie Siertsma’s MAP Gallery, Grass Kop, Mpumalanga, South Africa in collaboration with BLOCH of Bloch Global, Comcom curated by Roger Gentinetta.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed under Mary Shires Waterfalls, Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in London Forestry Arbor, Graskop, Mpumalanga, South Africa in collaboration with BLOCH Global, Comcom curated by Roger Gentinetta.

2017

Shy Restrained Pink Thing – Exposed on the roof of Luis Alonzo-Barkigia’s Studio, New Jersey, USA

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in indigenous swamp being cleared for development in Savannah Georgia, USA.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to a Peterbuilt cement truck at a cement factory in Wynwood Walls, Miami Art Basel

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to Miami’s South Beach Pier at sunset during Miami Art Basel

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Room 263 – the original Playboy Bunny Club at the Plaza Hotel, South Beach, Florida, during Miami Art Basel

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in the parachute drop zone of Coffs Harbor Airport, New South Wales, Australia. Exposed to Coffs Harbor Jetty, New South Wales, Australia.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed to Knysna, Oak Arbor, Western Cape, South Africa.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed in Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

Unexposed at home, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed on Tietiesbaai island, Paternoster, Western Cape, South Africa.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing exposed at Modern Art Projects -Richmond, Northern Cape South Africa

2016

Shy Restrained Pink Thing – Exposed at Nirox Foundation in collaboration with Hector Hernandes Rosas for Willem Boshoff’s birthday party.

Shy Restrained Pink Thing first exposure at the Cosmopolitan during Johannesburg Art fair and Johannesburg Art Week, Maboneng, Johannesburg, South Africa.

 

ART TRAVELS

2023 March – Kalahari drive to source rose quartz for the Nirox residency.

2007 Research film trip to Zimbabwe and Botswana Produced «4 rivers» digital film. Part of the MTN art collection.

2000 South Africa.

1994 Canada. Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary , Cascais, Portugal, London, UK.

1993 Cape Town, RSA, Loop Street Studios.

1992 Cape Town, RSA, Paris, France. Lisbon, Portugal.

 

AWARDS

2004 Finalist on the Brett Kebble Art Awards.

 

PUBLICATIONS

2018 SAADJIES, traveling miniature sculpture catalogue

2017 El Ranchito Residency program catalogue – Matadero Madrid

Hermanus Times (date?)

2016 Nirox zine for the Winter Sculpture Fair

2015 Artist Proof Studio education endowment catalogue

2011 A.R.C @ JAG Johannesburg Art Gallery exhibition catalogue

2009 Beeld newspaper (09/08)

2008 Beeld newspaper (04/30)

2007 Die Burger newspaper (04/03)

Die Burger newspaper (04/27)

Beeld newspaper (03/26)

Mail and Guardian newspaper (01/12)

2006 Abacus, ABSA Bank magazine cover story

2005 ABSA L’Atelier Twenty Years competition catalogue

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.